My little short stories
by FireHoof
Summary: a series of short stories set in my shared fanifc 'My Little Pony' multi-generational universe. You may not understand them if you haven't read my other stories.
1. Chapter 1

Queen Majesty Returns

_Dream Valley, two weeks after the events of the episode "The prince and the Pony", the final G1 episode_

The sun shone down brightly on the Paradise estates, as the Ponies of Dream Valley were eagerly at play. Wind Whistler, Buttons, and Shady were out in the yard beyond the main house, at a game of pony polo.

"C'mon Shady, hit the ball to me!" Buttons exclaimed.

"I...I don't think I can do it..." Shady bemoaned, tapping the ball with her hoof.

"We've gone over this before, shady." Wind Whistler sighed, rolling her eyes. "Simply apply enough force to the ball with your snout, to send it flying towards Buttons!"

"O-okay, I'll try..." She replied nervously. But as she moved to hit the ball, a loud noise from overhead startled her. "Aieee!" She cried, accidentally sending the ball flying into the pool.

"What in the world is that?" Buttons cried, drowned out by the loud roar overhead. "We don't have jets in Ponyland!"

They all looked skyward, to see a white carriage with Pink Wheels roaring overhead, pulled by two Pegasus Guards in armor.

"The Sky Skimmer Carriage." Buttons exclaimed. "Queen Majesty has returned to Dream Valley!"

"She must have finally finished the negotiations between Hoofkaido and Fort Rainbow Dash." Wind Whistler whinnied in surprise. "Considering it's been a year, it's about time!"

"Oh, Wind Whistler, what are we gonna do?" Shady wailed. "When Majesty finds out what we did with her castle, she'll have our heads mounted on her wall!"

"Now just calm down Shady, it's not our fault at what happened." Wind Whistler snorted. "Fizzy and I had the Moochick create Paradise estate, as a temporary refuge against the Smooze. It was Truly and her cronies who had us abandon the castle to the grundles."

"But will Majesty realize we always intended to reclaim the castle?" Buttons asked the blue Pegasus. "What should we do, Wind Whistler?"

"Exactly what we had planned to do, right from the start." Masquerade appeared from nowhere, startling the other three mares. "Gather those ponies who are still loyal, along with their offspring, and leave the traitors to their fate."

"Must you always sneak up on everybody?" Shady asked in frustration. "It's starting to get old!"

"We don't have time for that now!" Wind Whistler snorted. "We need to maker our preparations, and get out of here!"

"We should hurry." Buttons agreed. "Though I almost wish I could be here, to see if Truly survives whatever Majesty has planned for her!"

...

The Sky Skimmer Carriage landed in front of Dream Castle, and Queen Majesty stepped out. Taking in a breath of the fresh Dream Valley air, she smiled. "Ah, it's so good to be home!"

The white unicorn then turned to "Thank you, my good Stallions! Now, if you two would please take the carriage down to Wind Whistler's laboratories for a cleaning and a tune-up?"

"At once, my queen!" The two Pegasus bowed, and took the carriage inside the cave behind the waterfall.

Majesty lowered the Drawbridge with her horn, and trotted into the castle that had been her ancestral home for more than a thousand years...

... to find the place an absolute wreck! The walls and floor absolute mess, the curtains were torn and shredded, and the beautiful wall frescoes and mosaics, depicting the thousand-year history of Dream Valley, were covered in obscene goblin graffiti .

"M-my home..." Queen Majesty's eyes teared up. "W-what-"

It was then, that Twilight Shine came up, and bowed nervously to Majesty. "My Queen, Welcome back... we are most pleased at your safe return." She looked around nervously, as Applejack, Glory, Firefly, Bow Tie, and Medley emerged behind her. "W-we've had some... uninvited guests staying in the castle, though we managed to keep them confined to the throne room and the main halls... and- your private Chambers." Twilight laughed nervously. "It appears Magic Star gave the castle away, and... neglected to tell me..."

It was then that a hideous goblin came around the corner. "Hello, silly-looking pony! Welcome to kingdom of Grundles!"

It took only a few seconds for Majesty to put two and two together... The queen's eyes went wide, and her magic-amplified whinny echoed across the breadth of Dream Valley.

"TRUUUULLLLYYYYYYYYYYY!"

…

"I WANT THAT MARE SENT TO A HUMAN GLUE FACTORY!"

Majesty stormed down the corridor of her castle, having just traded 1/3 of the royal hoard to the Grundles to get them to leave. Priceless treasures of Ponykind- including the royal regalia of Princess Celestia herself, recovered from the troll-looted crypts of Canterlot- were now in the hands of a crude tribe of goblins.

"Twilight! How is the rest of the herd?" Majesty asked. "Are they here, or did Truly sell them into slavery to the Blarks?"

"The rest of the herd stayed here during the grundle occupation, my queen. Along with the six of us." She gestured to Firefly and the others with her hoof. "We kept the grundles out of the treasure vaults, the library, and the royal catacombs. They never even discovered the dungeons or the laboratories and repair bays beneath the castle.

"But the grundle king insisted on having your room, my queen." Firefly winced. "It's not a pretty sight."

Majesty almost died at the sight of her private quarters. Her beautiful satin sheets were tattered and thrown about... obviously soiled by the Grundle king's 'personal entrainment'. Her bed's beautiful lace canopy was shredded, and her mattress had feathers coming out of the insides.

"This bed set was my grandmother's last gift to me." Majesty bawled, thinking of the late Queen Regal. But it was when the unicorn queen saw the picture of her mother and her, which had sat on her nightstand, smashed against the wall and torn in two, did Majesty finally snap.

"My queen! Masquerade has returned with the loyalists from paradise estate!" Medley cried out, as the mares and foals came trotting across the drawbridge.

"Only about thirty mares remain at the estate, loyal to Truly." Masquerade confirmed, following the refugees through the gateway.

"Twilight... keep everypony here at the castle." Majesty said icily. "I'm going to go deal with this...personaly!"

...

"BOOM!" The gates of Paradise estate were blown clean off their hinges, as an angry unicorn queen galloped her way through. Foals and mares ran for cover, asParadise flew directly into Majesty's path.

"Hold it Majesty, you can't just-" She never finished her sentence, as Majesty telekinetically tossed her into the pool.

"Take a bath Paradise!" The queen snapped. "Your hypocrisy stinks!"

She then saw Magic Star galloping away, but she quickly stopped her in her tracks. The queen levitated her back over to where she stood.

"My queen, please! We were forced to!" Magic Star begged, sweat trickling down her snout. "It was against my will! Truly-"

Majesty spun around, and horse-kicked Magic Star through one of the Estate's windows.

"That'll kick some horse sense into you, you lying old nag!" Majesty snapped. She turned her attention towards the main house. "TRULY!"

She smashed though the front door, where the stern earth mare looked up at her, stunned.

"Majesty?" She said in shock. "Ah knew ya'll would-"

Majesty caught the rotten earth mare in a levitation spell, slamming her into the ceiling, and then the wall, . "Ahhh! AHHHH!" She then finished by slamming the treacherous mare into floor...HARD.

"AIEEEEEEEEE!"

Truly lie on the floor, gasping for air, despite the pain from her cracked ribs, and blood trickling from her mouth.

"Get up, you traitor!" Majesty roared. "You haven't even begun to suffer for betraying me! For betraying the herd!"

"I regret nothing, foh tryin ta get mah freedom!" Truly snapped in contempt. "Go ahead and slay me, yer highness!"

"But why, Truly?" Majesty asked her, as her horn stopped glowing. "I treated you an the entire herd as my children! Why would you do something like this?"

"Ya''ll treated us like yer children, all raight! But not as yer equals!" Truly spat at her. "Ah'd do it ahll ova again, ta get away from yer tyranny!"

It was at that point, that Majesty noticed several of the estate foals, watching her from behind the couch, and quivering in fear. She saw the terror in their eyes when they looked at her, and was horrified by what she saw.

Majesty looked down at truly. "Get up. I'm not going to harm you."

"Wha?" A confused Truly stared at her. "Ah don't-"

" You may keep your estate, so long as you and your ponies uphold your oaths of loyalty to me." Majesty trotted back towards the door.

"Wait, whay ah y'all sparin' me?" Truly asked, pulling herself back up on her hooves.

"Because... I have realized that I was becoming something even worse than you, Truly." Majesty replied, trotting out the door. "And that is a far worse fate than anything you have done to me."

…

Things began to revert to normal at Dream Castle, as the nobility moved themselves back in after queen Majesty's return. The little ponies worked hard to restore the frescoes and paintings, and cleaned up and repaired the damage from the grundle occupation. But there were many changes Majesty had noticed in some of her subjects, and the queen was extremely curious.

"Galaxy, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Majesty's telepathic summons called Galaxy down from her tower, where she had been grateful to find all of her astronomical instruments intact. Coming down the steps into the throne room, she bowed before her monarch.

"Yes, my queen?" She asked politely. "How may I serve you?"

"Since you were at Paradise estate for the past year, I wanted to ask you about some of the... changes.. that have occurred with my little ponies while I've been away."

"Of course, my queen." Galaxy replied. "What so you wish to know?"

Majesty looked over the notes Twilight had prepared for her. "I found that we now have an alliance with the flutter ponies, and both Bright Valley and King Scorpan's kingdom have been restored, and our alliances strengthened with them?"

"That is correct, Majesty." Galaxy replied, smiling. "Those are perfect examples of what we have accomplished over the past year."

"And what about those giant crabs I saw helping Posey weed out and plow the castle gardens?" Majesty asked curiously.

"Ah, the crab nasties." Galaxy replied with a nervous laugh. "We met them when we were attacked by some killer flowers."

"Killer Flowers?" Majesty looked at her strangely. "Galaxy, have you been hitting the loco weed?"

"My queen, it's true!" Galaxy replied. "And besides, the crab nasties are strong and powerful allies, as well!"

"Hm. I see." Majesty read farther on down the list "I also see the castle adopted a baby dragon?"

"Yes... his name is spike, my queen. He started hanging around the herd after we freed him from Tirek."

"Spike?" Majesty asked in surprise. "Do you think it's possible that we are dealing with the famous assistant of Twilight Sparkle here?"

"Twilight Shine thinks this may be the case, given the long lives dragons lead." Galaxy responded. "Spike plays dumb whenever we talk to him about it, so we cannot be certain."

"The ponies adopted and then released a giant puppy, I see."  
Majesty levitated the paper down. "And it appears that Baby North Star tried to sell the twins to the elf royal family again?"

"Yes, but we actually helped the elves restore their king to the throne, after he was overthrown by his scullery maid." Galaxy finished. "And we even helped the gnomes get the Frazits under control again!"

"Well then, i guess that takes care of everything." Majesty raised her hoof. "Though I did want to speak to this 'Megan', that has been helping the herd so much."

"I shall arrange a meeting at once, my queen." Galaxy offered.

"Twilight shall take care of that, do not worry about it." Majesty narrowed her eyes, looking at something behind Galaxy. "But I wanted to ask you... why are those four doing that strange dance, in those silly costumes?"

Galaxy looked behind her... where Gusty, Shady, Sweet Stuff, and Sundance were dressed in veils and harem outfits... doing the dance of the seven veils.

"Oh good GRIEF..." Galaxy exclaimed, putting her hoof to her face. "Why did Scheherazade have to teach them that?"

As day turned to evening, the windows of Dream Castle lit up, as all of the ponies who lived there went about having their suppers, and spending time with their families. In the castle throne room, Queen Majesty of Dream Valley was holding evening court, listening to the problems that every pony in the valley came to her with.

"So as you can see, Surprise, you cannot just prank ponies who are working on the Castle's electrical system, by shooting them with a squirt gun!" Majesty shook her mane angrily. "It could be hazardous to a pony's health!"

"Yeah, Queen Majesty, I can see your point." Surprise laughed nervously. "Sorry I surprised ya with that squirt gun, Wind Whistler!"

"Thank you, your highness." Wind Whistler replied, every hair on her mane standing on end, and electricity sparking from her mouth. "It is my sincere hope that we can avoid calamities such as this in the future!"

The two Pegasus flew out of the throne room, the blue one spazaming and sparking every few feet. Queen majesty sighed, rubbing her temples with her hooves.

"Moondancer, whose my next appointment?" The queen asked with a sigh.

The unicorn levitated her clipboard over to her view. "Next up is your audience with Megan." She looked up at her queen. "The human ally to the Dream Valley ponies."

"Aha! Just the human I wanted to see!" Majesty replied with a grin. "Please, send her in at once!"

Lady Moondancer motioned to the guard, and he led a young blonde girl, wearing a Jean skirt and an orange t-shirt, into the room. She walked right up to the throne, before curtseying to the white unicorn before her.

"Your majesty, it is an honor to finally meet you." She said politely, looking up at the throne. "I've heard so much about you from the Paradise estate ponies!"

"Yes, it is a pleasure to finally meet you as well, my little human." Majesty inclined her head towards the girl. "And I wanted to personally thank you for keeping an eye on my subjects while I was away."

"It was nothing at all, your highness." Megan waved her hand dismissively. "They are my friends, and I would do anything for them."

"I understand that." Majesty replied. "But I have heard disturbing reports that you would take charge of my herd when there was a crisis, and order them around as if they were normal ponies." The Queen narrowed her eyes. "You even had the audacity to hop on the back of one of the princess ponies, and order her around as if she were a mindless earth mount!"

"But... Your majesty!" The little girl protested. "I was only trying to help!"

"I know you were... and you helped my little ponies out a great deal." Majesty sighed. "But a thirteen-year-old girl should be worrying about spending time with friends and boys, not helping ponies fight for their lives against evil sorcerers and fire breathing dragons."

Megan's heart sank. "You're not going to let me fight for the ponies or see my friends anymore, are you?"

"Of course not! You are as much a part of this herd, as if you were a pony yourself!" Majesty snorted angrily, stamping her hoof. " I am not going to force you away from Dream Valley. But I am not going to let you put yourself in danger any longer."

"So... what are you going to do?" Megan bit her lower lip, trying to hold back her tears.

"Megan Williams of earth, I herby grant you the rank of Duchess in Dream Valley, as a lady in waiting in my court." Queen Majesty sighed. "You - along with your two siblings- shall be free to come and go from the castle and Ponyland as you see fit, provided you are accompanied by a pony escort, and do not attempt to get involved in our conflicts any longer."

"I understand." She curtseyed to the queen again. "Thank you very much for your generosity, your highness."

"A pleasure, my little human." The queen replied with a smile. "And in the future, please remember... my subjects are not the horses on your ranch, that you can simply order around."

"I will, great Majesty. Thank you so much!" The young human ran out of the throne room in excitement. "Wow, me a Duchess! Wait till I tell my aunt Bonnie about THIS!"

The Queen smiled, and looked over at Moondancer. "All right, who is next on our list?"

"It's Cherries Jubilee and Applejack, your highness." Moondancer sighed. "Apparently, there was a disagreement in the garden..."

The queen sighed. "It's going to a looong night..."


	2. Chapter 2

_Whatever happened to danny? _

_To give up one's own boring life, and take the skin of another. Again and again, we hear of those who wish they could walk in the horseshoes of another, to take on a life in another time and place, to escape the problems and worries of one's own life. Ah, but what if those dreams are allowed to come true? Would the life we would lead be everything we desired it to be? And would we come to regret our decision? I, Tornado Firehooves, royal court scholar to Queen Majesty, now relate to you the tale of the boy Danny, and how his wish to run free came to grief..._

Once, there were two sisters and a brother, who lived on their father's ranch in the human world. The eldest was the girl Megan, caring and wise. The youngest was her sister Molly, caring and fair. But the middle child was a young boy named Danny, who was noble and brave. The children of a professional race horse breeder on the open plains of Oklahoma, they were at home in the open fields and sunny skies. These three lived a normal life, in what they considered a normal world.

Danny and was a normal boy, not unlike any other. He had red hair and freckles, and wore a striped shirt and jeans. He liked to play baseball and ride his skateboard, and hated homework and school. Like many other boys his age, he spent time with his friends hanging out, and listened to his two favorite bands, Cold Slither and the Holograms. Danny spent his days scarfing down cheeseburgers, and playing video games. He liked going to the horse races with his dad, and dreamed of riding the rodeo circuit just like his father one day.

But Danny, unlike other boys his age, had a secret. His sister Megan had found the doorway to another world... a rainbow bridge, that took her to a magical world of dangerous monsters and talking ponies. She introduced this world of Ponyland to her two siblings, and together they had many adventures in this wondrous land of wizards and dragons. He formed a particularly close bond with the baby dragon, Spike... as they were the only two boys in a sea of girls. Sometimes Danny acted foolish, and got them into trouble. But his good nature always shined through, and together with his friends both human and pony, they would always triumph over the most evil of foes!

But the years came, and the years went. Molly grew up, and grew away from Ponyland. She turned her mind towards things like a future and a career, and forgot her friends across the rainbow bridge. Megan, however, could never forget her little ponies, so dear to her heart were they. She and Danny came again and again, even as they left childhood behind, and entered their teen years. As one sister drifted farther and farther away from a world she wanted to believe was nothing more than a childhood fantasy, the other sister came to become more and more a part of it.

For Danny, Ponyland was an adventure. An escape from a world of high school pressure, after school jobs, and the looming specter of adulthood. He preferred to ride on the back of his pony friend Surprise, soaring through the clouds, than being in a world of peer pressure, a trying high school baseball coach, and girls who turned him down every time he asked one of them to go to the Dancitron with him. Oh, how Danny wished he could leave the world of work and responsibility behind, and run free like the Dream Valley ponies do!

But one day... everything changed. When Danny had reached his nineteenth year, he and Megan came to help the ponies against yet another evil wizard who was trying to take over Dream Valley. The evil fiend had stolen a wand of transformation from ancient Equestrian ruins. The Ponies ended up in conflict with him, and Megan and Danny tracked him down to his lair in the Froggy Bottom swamp. It was here they did battle with the rouge spell caster, and it was here everything went oh so terribly wrong.

"I got the wand, Galaxy!" Megan yelled. "Let's try to keep it away from him!"

"Give me that wand, you filthy brats!" The wizard yelled.

Megan tossed it to Galaxy, who caught it in her mouth, and tossed it to Shady. But the game of keep away turned to disaster, when Shady messed up her throw to Surprise, and the wand smashed to the floor in front of the white Pegasus Pony, and cracked.

"Oh nooo!" Surprise yelped.

"Surprise!" Danny yelled, and jumped between the exploding transformation wand and his friend. The explosion knocked him to the ground, and he felt a terrible pain shoot through his entire body.

"DANNY!" Both Megan and Surprise cried out. It was then, that everything around the young human went dark...

...Danny came to lying in the Dream Valley infirmary, where her could hear the voice of Galaxy and his sister talking as consciousness returned.

"...Are you sure there is no way to change him back?" Megan asked.

"I'm afraid not, Megan." Galaxy whinnied. "The rod was a Penna artifact, from long before the time of the long-gone kingdom of Equestria. Using unicorn magic to undo it's affects could damage Danny's nervous system to the point of killing him!"

It was then that Danny awoke, to the sight of Surprise staring at him, looking worried. He tried to move his hand up to her, to let her know he was all right. But to his horror, he discovered he no longer had hands...but hooves!

"Ne-e-e-e-e-e-e-i-i-i-i-g-g-g-g-h!" He tried to scream, but all that came out was a pony's whinny. Horrified, Danny tried to stand up on his two legs... but it only resulted in him stumbling over his new wings.

"Easy, Danny!" Dr Medicin warned, as Surprise and Megan tried to steady him. "You're not yet accustomed to your new body yet!"

She was right, as Danny calmed himself down, everything was a new sensation for him. Every sound and smell was now much crisp and clearer to him. He could flex the ends of his new limbs- his wings and tail- much as he had once done with his hands. He could sense and feel things he never had as a human.

For he was a human no longer... now, he was a pony!

Where there had been a human boy, now there was a black stallion with a white mane. In shock after all that had happened, Danny could barely make out what happened over the next few hours. Promises by Queen Majesty that Danny could stay at the Castle for as long as he wished- a reward for all he and his sisters had done for the ponies. A promise by his sister to visit him whenever she could, as she hugged him goodbye. He struggled to hang onto his sanity, as s North Star flew Megan back over the rainbow, to the human world...

...leaving him behind.

The next few weeks were pure torment for poor Danny. Sundance had to teach him how to speak all over again, as the shape and structure of his mouth had changed. Moondancer taught him how to first walk, then trot, and then gallop around on four hooves. It was a very unpleasant experience, as he continuously fell on his face every step he took. North Star was terrified of starting his flying lessons, and Gusty was getting frustrated with how clumsy and Kluzy Danny was.

"It's annoying, Wind Whistler!" Gusty yelled. "He's as helpless as a newborn foal!"

"Have patience with him, Gusty! Danny just made the biological jump from Primate to equine, a major strain on his sanity!" Wind Whistler snorted. "His entire nervous system has been rewired, and his brain is still reacting to his body like he's human! Instinct can only go so far in helping him to adjust!"

But as time passed, Danny did adjust. Gradually, he did learn to trot and gallop, and to use his wings and tail in place of his hands. North Star taught him to think in three dimensional space instead of two, and how to use that to fly. Gradually, his sanity adjusted to the reality of what had happened to him. But that didn't mean he still didn't have problems. Danny discovered that he could no longer eat cheeseburgers- one of his favorite foods- when Megan brought him one, and all it did was make his herbivore stomach ill. And while Gusty was able to teach him to play polo, he could no longer play baseball... not like there was anyone to play baseball with in ponyland, anyway.

But even though he was adjusting to what had happened, didn't mean he liked it. Danny would never see his father or Molly again. Megan had told him that she had arraigned (with the help of a little unicorn magic) for them to believe he had gone away to study in Europe. He could still send them letters through Megan, or record his voice (Which Megan could present as mail or phone calls), but he would never see them face to face again. All those dreams of riding in the rodeo just like his dad were gone forever (unless he wanted to be the ride instead of the rider), as was hanging out with his friends, or going to the mall. Where being free like the ponies once seemed like a dream, now it felt more like the worst of nightmares.

And so the seasons turned... and turned again. Time flowed by, and Megan came to spend more and more time in Dream Valley. She still informed him of the happenings in the other world- Molly had become a news anchor, replacing a retiring Hector Ramirez. And his father... his father had passed away. He hadn't even been able to go to the funeral, or say goodbye. And the fun and adventure of visiting a magical land was now lost on him, now that he spent his days running and hiding from the very monsters and villains that plagued that magical land!

Danny spent his days sitting by the Rainbow river, staring at his own refection. Whenever he thought of home, tears streamed down his face, and rippled on the water's surface. Oh, how he longed to be human again! It was during this time that his cutie mark appeared... a storm cloud, with rain coming down from it. Gusty recommended calling him Weepy, but Surprise gave him the more complementary nickname of Stormchaser. Danny was not alone, however, as Spike ad the Bushwoolies still spent time with him. Danny drew a little joy from the fact some still cared for him.

It was at this time, that many of the younger single mares of Dream Castle began to take notice of Danny. They knew who he was, who had had been, and that he still saw himself as human... but the pull of the herd instinct was too strong to be denied, especially with a Stallion who always stayed around the castle. They tried again and again to start up conversations with him, to see if they had common interests so they could form an emotional bond. But Danny would have none of it, repulsed by the advances of these mares. What would he, a human, want with a girl pony? But it was soon to his horror, that he realized that the stallion he had become had actually wanted to bond with one of them. It made him feel all the more disgusted with himself..

It was only Surprise, the pony whom Danny had saved from the wizard's rod, did he respond positively to. She was the Pegasus who had only been a filly when Megan and the Ponies had fought Katrina. She and Danny had become friends when he first came to Ponyland, and had flown together on many adventures. She would sit beside him at the river's edge, and talk with him as the hours slipped by.

"Remember how we wrecked those Gizmonks lab, Danny?" She once asked him with a giggle. "We sure gave em a big SURPRISE!"

The energetic and irresponsible pony did something Danny never thought he'd do again... she made him smile. They would both trot and fly, side by side, across the hills and skies of pony land, as they once had as pony and rider. Although Danny was unable to embrace what had happened to him, at the sight of Surprise's smile at least made it so he could accept it.

The day came, when Megan finally abandoned her life in the human world, for a life in Ponyland. Although Danny was overjoyed to see his sister again, he was dismayed that she seemed to treat him differently now. Instead of talking to him like her younger brother, she now treated him as just another of the little ponies. Oh, she knew who he was on a conscious level, to be sure, but she no longer seemed to treat him as a human. This only served to remind him of everything he had lost, and made it hard to spend time with his own sister.

And the wheels of Time turned and turned yet again. No longer weepy and depressed, Stormchaser now races across the skies, laughing after playing a prank on some pony, then fleeing as his angry victim chases after the trickster stallion. Yet, like a could in the sky, he can zip away, and vanish in a puff of smoke.

Surprise is often by his side… as is Baby Surprise, their little filly. Stormchaser wouldn't trade them for all of the oats in pony land. Every day their human friend, Megan, visits Dream Castle, and plays with the little fillies and colts. She now lives in King Scorpan's kingdom, and is married to one of the King's knights- a would-be dragon slayer she had befriended in her youth. Hadn't this human, this Megan, been someone important in his life once? Stormchaser finds it so hard to remember sometimes.

Tonight he, his family, and his friend Spike are going to go, and watch the fireworks Sky Rocket and Glory are setting on near the castle. As he watches them explode, he remembers a human boy named Danny watching a display much like this, with his father and sisters at a state fair. But as Surprise nuzzles him again, it the memory fades away, like the dream it was….


	3. Chapter 3

The drum that stopped beating...

"So as you can see, Queen Storm Runner, this new trade deal you and Queen Majesty have agreed to will be of benefit to both kingdoms!" Twilight whinnied.

"That is indeed correct, my good Twilight!" Storm Runner replied, smiling. "These new trade regulations will be of mutual benefit to both Stormhold and Dream Valley. But I believe it was your remarkable negotiating skills that brought this partnership about."

Twilight was on a diplomatic visit to Stormhold, a peninsular kingdom in Ponyland's southern regions. Too far out of the way to be much notice to any of Ponyland's monster populations, Stormhold enjoyed relative peace in comparison to it's northern neighbors.

Queen Storm Runner, herself, was quite a sight to behold. A brown and white Pegasus mare with a brown and blonde striped mane, the gentle ruler's benign temperament was quite a contrast to her raging thunderstorm cutie mark.

At the moment, the two mares were Trotting through the palace gardens, discussing the final points of the treaty. Behind them trotted Galaxy and Archer, two of the queen's ever loyal bodyguards.

"I must say, I was rather surprised to hear that you were the one conducting the negotiations, Lady Shine." Storm Runner shook her mane. "It is usually your husband Tornado who conducts business with my court."

"Tornado is away on business at Misty Mountain, his home fortress." Twilight replied with a laugh. "You know how stubborn Princess Cadence can be, being the last of the Alicorns and all."

"Yes... she is the last, after all." Storm Runner replied with a nervous laugh, which her walking companion failed to notice.

The two mares continued to chat, when a nearby stallion guard beat on his drum for the changing of the guard. Twilight Shine seemed to stop in her tracks at the sound.

"Why Twilight!" The queen asked, a look of confusion on her face. "Whatever is the matter?"

"That drum beat..." The pink unicorn whinnied, her eyes slowly tearing up. "He always played his drum like that..."

"T-twilight?" Storm Runner asked, bewildered. "Are you all right?"

"Today was his birthday..." Twilight realized, staring off into space. "I cannot believe I had forgotten..."

_"Momma Momma! Look! Daddy got me a drum for my birthday!"_

_"Well, let's here you play it, little one!"_

_"Aunt Medley says I'm really good, Some day momma, I'll be the bestest drummer in all of Dream Valley!"_

"Twilight, out with it!" Storm Runner. "What in the name of the horsemaster is wrong?"

"Rupa-tum-tum... on his little drum..." Twilight bit her lip, as the tears streamed down her face. The distraught mare galloped away, crying a trail of tears as she went.

"Twilight, wait!" Storm Runner chased after her, silently grumbling about queen majesty sending a poor, overworked mare to conduct a difficult diplomatic meeting.

"Now would you mind telling me what that was all about?"

It wasn't very long before Storm Runner had caught up with the sobbing Twilight, and convinced her to come back and talk about what had been bothering her. They were now in Storm Runner's private quarters, and the queen had dismissed Archer and Galaxy, and the two mares were alone to talk.

"I-I'm sorry about that, your highness, I just let my emotions get the better of me." The pink mare kneeling before the monarch. "It won't happen again."

"There was a reason you were so distraught, my good Twilight." Storm Runner insisted. "Now, from one mare to another... out with it!"

"It- it's my son's birthday." The mare finally replied sadly. "The guard's drumming reminded me of him."

"Your son?" Storm Runner asked in surprise. "You have another child besides Ember?"

Twilight nodded sadly. "His name was Drummer... h-he was born barely a year after Tornado and I wed. I remember, he was so little..."

_"Whoa there, little guy! Stop pounding on everything!"_

"_Tornado, he's just a baby! He's only playing!"_

_"Well, he doesn't need to pound on my notebooks! I'll have to get him a toy drum, when he gets old enough!"_

_"Guess his special talent is already starting to show!"_

"He was born an earth pony, probably inherited it from my grandmother." Twilight whinnied sadly. "But we didn't care... we loved him for the precious gift he was."

"Oh Twilight, I'm so sorry..." Storm Runner Trotted up to hug her, trying to comfort the Dream Valley mare. "I had no idea!"

"I-it's all right. Really it is!" Twilight told her. "Tornado and I don't... discuss it much..."

"Tell me, Twi" The Pegasus queen asked her. "What was he like?"

"He was the most precious little angel..." Twilight started, as the two mares sat down to talk...

"One thing I can tell you, is Tornado misses him just as much as I do..."

_"Thane Firehooves..." Dr. Medicin scowled at him. "Would you please calm yourself down? We'll let you know when something happens!"_

_Tornado paced back and forth in the waiting room, nervous as a cat. How long was this going to take? It had been a mere nine months ago that Twilight had given him the happy news- she was with foal... and he was going to be a father!_

_The ten months that followed, had left him with so many questions. Was it going to be a boy or a girl? What kind of father would he be? Doubts and fears mixed with anticipation and excitement, as he bartered for a crib and baby clothes for their new arrival._

_Now here he was, pacing back and forth, waiting for some piece of news on what was going on in there. He could feel his Twilight's pain and discomfort over the lifebond, and so wished she didn't have to go through this kind of suffering to bring a life into the world._

_"NEEEEIIIIIIIIGGHHHHHHH!" An ear splitting whinny of pain tore through the castle's medical wing, and Tornado almost fell over from the sheer burst of intense pain he felt come over the lifebond. The next sound the stallion heard, was the soft cry of a new life coming into the world._

_"Congratulations, Thane Firehooves! You're a father!" Nurse Sweetheart trotted out and told him, smiling. "It's a boy! You can go in and see them now."_

_His heart racing, Tornado slowly trotted into the delivery room, where an exhausted twilight was holding the newborn foal in her hooves._

_"Tornado, look..." Twilight rasped out, exhausted. "He's beautiful, h-he's perfect..."_

_"You both are, my love." Tornado replied, smiling down at his small family. "You both are."_

"It must have been an extremely emotional time for you." Storm Runner Commented. "After you got the baby home."

"I was able to recover quickly, and that's when the chaotic routines started." Twilight said with a laugh. "It's funny to look back on it now, but at the time, we were both ready to tear our manes out!"

_"WWWAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"_

_The sound of a three month old colt tore through the Dream Castle tower room at 3 a.m.._

_"Tornado, you handle it this time!" Twilight groaned, rolling over, and pulling the covers over her head. "I handled it the last two!"_

_"But what if he's hungry?" Tornado groaned, throwing the sheets off. "That's your department, not mine!"_

_The pink mare rolled over again, and stared daggers at her husband. "That's what a bottle is for, you goofball!" She hissed out._

_Grumbling to himself, Tornado rolled out of bed, and trotted over to the baby's crib. Carrying him out to the kitchen, he examined the little colt._

_"Let's see here... nothing in your diaper." He picked Drummer up, held him over his shoulder, and patted him on the back with his hoof. "And you don't need burped." He held the little foal up, looking at him in confusion. "Then what-?_

_"Bllleeeuggaaahh!" Tornado was covered in green liquid._

_"Lovely." The stallion grumbled to himself, as Drummer started crying again. "Just...lovely."_

"Oh, that poor stallion!" Storm Runner stifled a giggle. "He must've been at his hooves end!"

"Oh, I think he looks back on those times with fondness." Twilight replied, trying to keep herself from crying again. "I know I will never forget those sleepless nights..."

"It wasn't long though, before infancy gave way to foalhood." Twilight said with a sigh. "Our little baby grew up so fast... you never cherish those times when they're here, and this you miss them when they pass you by..."

"So he grew up rapidly, and was soon saying his first words?" Storm Runner asked, trying to lighten Twilight's mood again.

"Yep, and once he started, we couldn't shut him up!" Twilight said with a sad laugh.

_Twilight and glory were trotting together, inside the castle's giant domed gardens and park. Baby Glory and Drummer were walking along beside thier mothers, on wobbly legs they had barely learned to use._

"_Can you believe that outfit Truly was wearing today?" Glory asked with a laugh._

_"Yeah!" Twilight giggled back. "It was way too tight!"_

_"And it looked funny!" Glory whinnied humorously._

_The two mares were laughing so hard, that they failed to notice the aforementioned mare trotting up behind them._

_"Hello gals!" Truly greeted them, causing the two to spin around. "What're ya'll laughin' about?"_

_"Ummm, just a joke Surprise told earlier!" Twilight replied with a nervous laugh._

_"Yeah, you would've had to have been there to have gotten it." Glory nervously scratched the back of her neck with her hoof._

_"Well, that's nawt impohtant raight naow!" Truly whinnied in her Southern belle accent. "What do y'all think of my latest outfit?"_

_She streched out her leg and hoof, showing off the red ruffled dress and matching sun hat she had ordered from Bright Valley._

_"Well, what do y'all think?" She asked impatiently. "It's just the sweetest thang, ain't it?"_

_"Ummm..." Twilight replied._

_"Wellllll..." Glory stuttered._

_"Truly outfit way too tight!" Baby Drummer giggled._

_"And it look funny!" Glory laughed._

_The two mothers turned beet red from embarrassment._

_"WHAT?" An angry Truly stared at the two kids incredulously._

_"Wow... foals say the darndest thins, huh Truly?" An embarrassed Twilight finally replied._

"I bet Truly sent that outfit back for a refund!" Storm Runner replied, trying her hardest not to laugh hysterically.

"That, and she went on a six-month crash diet." Twilight snickered. "And switched to stripes when Heart Thob told her they made her look thin!"

"So I' guessing it wasn't long before he reached school age?"

"Yep! He hadn't gotten his cutie mark by then, but he earned it is first day of class." Twilight replied, looking away and lost in her memories. "He was almost too much for poor Sundance to handle..."

_"Now, class!" Sundance, the Dream Valley teacher addressed all of the foals in the classroom. "I would all like you to welcome Drummer, the newest student in our Kindergarten age group!"_

_Twilight gently nudged the foal into the classroom, and Drummer nervously trotted up beside the teacher's desk._

_"H-hi, I'm Drummer..." He spat out nervously. "And it's nice to meet you all..."_

_"Can't you say anything, ya little blank flank?" Baby Lickety Split called out. "Or the gloom witches got your tounge?"_

_Everybody in the class burst out laughing at Drummer, and Lickety Split just sneered at him, eating her double raspberry and peanut butter ice cream cone she had brought to class. But instead of being humiliated and crying, the little colt had other ideas._

_"I as just gonna say I love playin the drums!" he rushed up, and slammed his drumsticks on Lickety's split's desk. "Ponies seem to get a BANG out of my playing!"_

_The startled filly threw her hooves into the air, and sent her ice cream sailing. It landed on the top of her head with a cold, creamy SPLAT!_

_"Waaaaahhhhh!" The filly cried out, as she galloped away in shame. The rest of the class burst out laughing again, as an annoyed Sundance groaned._

_"Well, that went well." Drummer said, tapping out a beat on Lickety's desk. It was then a drum appeared on his flank._

_"Well. at lest he earned his cutie mark!" Twilight replied sheepishly, as Sundance stared at her angrily._

"Well, that's one heck of a way to earn a cutie mark." Storm Runner giggled again.

"Yes, it's another moment I'll never forget." Twilight said, as her expression turned sad again. "It was the events that followed, that I wish I could erase..."

Storm Runner looked up at the mare in front of her solemnly. "Twilight... how did he die?"

The pink mare squeezed her eyes shut, trying to deal with the painful memory. "...I-it was an early spring morning, after his eighth birthday..."

_"Mommy, can I go out and play with Baby Glory an' Lickety Split?"_

_"Of course you can dear. But it looks like the sky is really cloudy up there! Come back in here the first sign of rain, you hear?"_

_"Yes, momma." The little colt rolled his eyes, and galloped out the door._

_It had been early in the afternoon, and Twilight had been in her chambers, going over various old spell books. She would look out the tower window from time to time, and check on Drummer playing out on the meadow near the castle._

_It was some time later that Twilight went to take a book back to the castle library, and when she had returned, she noticed it had started raining. The pink mare also noticed that there was no sign of the foals that had been playing outside._

_"Huh, they must have come inside to play." Twilight said with a shrug, turning back to her work._

_"How was I supposed to know that they had gotten themselves into trouble?" Twilight started to cry again, her eyes tearing up. "I thought one of the other mares was watching them! How could I-"_

_"Twilight, it's not your fault!" Storm Runner exclaimed. "There was no way you could have known!"_

_"I know, and I keep telling myself that..." The pink mare sniffled, and went on. "I didn't know it at the time, but his friends had goaded my son into doing something incredibly stupid... namely, wading out into the middle of the river, and standing against the full force of the current..."_

_"Miss Twilight! Miss Twilight!" Tic Tac Toe came running up._  
_"We have big problem! Drummer in big trouble!"_

_"But how can that be?" Twilight asked, puzzled. "Didn't you all come back into play when then rain started?"_

_"Nu uh, we stay out and play in rain!" The first Tooth pony whinnied. "Drummer fell into the river! He get washed away!"_

_"WHAT?" Twilight shrieked in terror, her whole body tensing up as she ran down the hallway, screaming._

_"Toorrnnnaaaadooooooo!"_

_The two ponies galloped outside, and ran down towards the end of the River. Following a shortcut, Tornado and Twilight reached the far end of the river that foured over into Celestia falls. The two ponies looked around in a panic, until they saw the screaming little colt, rushing swiftly towards the falls._

_"Mommy... Daddy... ahhhhhhhhhh!" Drummer Whinnied in terror, as he was swiftly swept towards the falls._

_"DRUMMER!" Tornado roared, diving into save his only son. Ethier one of them could have cast some kind of spell (even though their magic was weak), but they were terror stricken- Twilight frozen on the shore, and Tornado desperately swimming towards the foal._

_"Hang on, Drummer, I'm coming!"_

_Tornado finally caught up with him at the edge of the falls. Reaching out with his teeth, Tornado barely caught the foal by the scruff of the neck, right before he went over the falls._

_"Gotcha!" Tornado whinnied, dragging Drummer back to shore. Tornado collapsed on the riverbank, coughing and sputtering, but all right._

_"Drummer, are you all right?" Twilight asked, rushing up to his side._

_The little colt barely open his eyes. "Momma? I'm cold... why's it so cold?" He whimpered out, before closing his eyes again._

_"Drummer?" Twilight whimpered, as the young colt's chest slowly stopped rising and falling, and he fell silent. "Drummer? Drummer?" Twilight's eyes began to tear up. "No...NO! DRUMMER! NO!"_

_The grief-stricken, pink mare shrieked and wailed hysterically, as an uncaring rain fell upon them all..._

"It must have been like a knife wound, the months and days that followed." Storm Runner said sadly.

"Yes." Twilight replied sadly. "But there was something that happened, that made it even worse..."

_The funeral was a solemn affair, attended by most of Dream Valley's most prominent ponies. Several little colts and fillies were there, too- saying goodbye to their friend... the first brush with death they would have in their young lives._

"_Twilight, I'm so sorry!" Glory nuzzled her. "This is absolutely terrible!"_

_"He was a fine lad, Tornado!" Barnacle declared, hugging the distraught stallion. "Twas a truly tragic event fer ye!"_

_"You have both lost the greatest light you your lives today, my honorable and loyal subjects." Majesty declared, trying to hold her tears back. "I grieve with you both for your loss!"_

_"Bye Bye, Drummer!" A sobbing Lickety Split whinnied. "I's sorry I called you a blank flank!"_

_Tornado and Twilight were struck dumb by their loss, in total shock over the most important thing in their lives being taken away from them. They could only stare at the little blue colt lying peacefully in the casket, and Twilight had to be held back by Firefly and Applejack when they lowered him into the cold, cold ground._

_The months that followed were hard for the couple, as they both adjusted to the cold silence of their apartment, that they had not known these past seven years of their marriage. It was hard on them both, as the grief and pain of their loss was as fresh every morning as it has been the night before._

_The only sound they swore they could hear, was the soft rat-tat-tating of the now-ownerless toy drum, that sat by the fireplace. It would start up in the middle of the night, when they were asleep, but fall silent whenever one of them would go to check on it, only to start up again whenever they went back to bed._

"By the horsemaster..." Storm Runner said in shock. "He must not realize he's..."

"Most parents who lose a child are haunted by the memories." Twilight finally broke down, and started crying. "But my baby's there... and some nights I can hear him crying... and I can't even reach out and hug him..."

_"Mommy, Daddy... where are you? I'm cold, and it's lonely! Mommy?..."_

Storm Runner hugged the grieving mare, holding her for several minutes. Twilight finally regained her composure, and resumed speaking.

"The river. It was the river that took his life. He had already been swept along in the cold water for over a half an hour, and his heart and body have always had problems." Twilight whinnied sadly. "Tornado has always believed that there was another cause- some pony villain out for revenge who had cast a spell to weaken our baby's immense system. But I always knew it ws just a cruel trick of nature and fate."

"You poor mare." Storm runner Silently nuzzled her. "You've been through so much grief, yet you keep on a happy face, and keep going."

"T-thank you, your highness." Twilight whinnied, drying her eyes with her hoof.

"But tell me, how did you come to adopt Ember?" Strom Runner asked.

Twilight gave a small smile. "That's when things started to look up again..."

_For several weeks now, a young filly, barely out of foalhood, had been crying herself to sleep on the cold stone floor. Few ponies had noticed her, as the child had managed to stay out of sight. But it was on the fifth night that Twilight heard the sobs coming from behind Queen Majesty's throne._

"_Momma, Poppa, why you leave me alone?" The pink filly sobbed._

_"Who's there?" Twilight asked, as she looked behind the throne._

_"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to make so much noise..." The little filly tied to hold back her tears. "I'll be quieter, I promise!"_

_Twilight recognized the child as Ember, the little filly whose parents had been lost in a Troll attack this week past. Twilight had assumed the little filly had been taken in by relatives, but to have a Dream Valley child end uo like this..._

_The pink mare hesitated for a moment, thinking of her own precious baby she had lost. Ember had just gone though the same pain that she and Tornado had, but was suffering through the pain alone._

_"Come little one." Twilight replied softly, nuzzling the small, sobbing form. ""Let's get you someplace warm, and get you some food."_

_Surprised, the little filly nodded, and trotted after the unicorn mare._

"So that's how Ember came to you." Storm Runner Whinnied. "But what about the ghost that was troubling you so?"

"I went to see Gypsy about Drummer." Twilight said sadly. "And she gave me some surprising information..."

_"Jes, Tvilight, jes!"Gypsy chanted, gazing into her crystal ball. "I can zee zhat little Drummer's zpirit iz with you, darlink!"_

_"I knew it!" Twilight replied sadly. "Gypsy, what can I do to halp my son? How can I end his sorrow?"_

_"Pain?" He iz not in pain, darlink." The unicorn with the tambourine replied. "He iz jupming and laughing at your hooves, darlink! Zere is no suffering vith his spirit!"_

_"But-but the drum... the voices at night..." Twilight muttered. "We here him crying out..."_

_"Zhat is not the sad cry of a little colt's spirit, darlink." The Dream Castle mystic replied. "It is zee grief of a mother who cannot move on, subconsciously manifesting her pain through her unicorn magic!"_

"So that's why you were haunted!" Strom Runner replied knowingly.

Twilight nodded. "Gypsy was right. I needed to find closure, and let go..."

…

"Nights like this still remind you of him, don't they?" Storm Runner asked, as Twilight stared out the window into space.

"And every time, the memories hurt like a stab in the heart." Twilight replied sadly, shaking her mane. "But I can at least find peace now. Once I found the strength to let go, the disturbances ceased."

"But he is still with you Twilight, both you and Tornado." Storm Runner replied. "And he always will be."

Twilight nodded, and slowly smiled at the Pegasus's words. "Thank you, Storm Runner. You truly are a good friend."

The two mares embraced, sharing the pain and joy of the grief Twilight Shine had shared with her newfound friend.

The next few days, Twilight finished up her work at Storm Runner's kingdom, before perparing to return to Dream Valley.

"Thank You, Storm Runner! I'll never forget my visit here!" She hugged the Princess goodbye.

"Farewell, Lady Shine." Storm Runner replied, smiling. "Please feel free to come back and visit anytime!"

The two new friends parted ways... as an unseen little blue colt looked on, smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

_Cold comfort_

_"I-it's so cold here..."_

Trotting her way through the Great Frozen Waste, Princess Mi Amore Di Cadenza lowered her head to keep the blowing and drifting snow out of her eyes. The cold ate at her delicate coat, and ice formed on her hoof at every step. Even wrapped in the woolen parka her Chancellor, Bright Bramely, had given her, the only warmth the alicorn felt was the steam rising from her chilly nostrils.

She absolutely hated coming here, of course. But it was only Cadence, an alicorn, who could withstand the extreme temperatures of the north. The good princess wasn't able to fly here, though- the bitter cold iced her wings over every time she took to the air. Cadence didn't even understand how the very ponies she had come to see, survived in this Celestia-forsaken icebox.

The Great Forzen Waste was the nethermost reaches of Ponyland- a place of howling winds and chilling death. Here, among the snow-covered peaks and rocky outcroppings, lived creatures like the pengrims- a warlike tribe of viscous penguins who could freeze victims solid with an icy stare. In the skies above dwelled the windigoes- those foul an ancient enemies of Ponykind who fed off equine hatred. But those that Cadence had come to see had adapted to both of these menaces, and was right at home in this hellish wasteland.

_"I wish they could've chosen someplace warmer to live."_

The alicorn grumbled, as she trotted up the side of a particularly large peak. This mighty mountain was Ironspire- the foreboding, five-hundred-foot stone needle that pointed towards the heavens, as if in angry defiance of the howling winds that whipped around it. As the princess started up the steep, slippery slope, three ponies suddenly popped up out of the snow in front of her, surprising the alicorn.

"Princess Cadence!" A pink earth pony hissed, emerging from the snow beneath her as if she were a part of it. "Welcome to the lands of the snow ponies!"

"Aieeee!" The princess whinnied, jumping back. "You startled me there!"

"My apologies, your highness!" The pink and white maned pony with the evergreen cutie mark bowed. "My name is Mittens, and I am a scout of my tribe."

"And I am Chilly Breezes." The other pony hissed, her white coat blending in with the snow. "We received word of your arrival, and were sent to personally escort you back to the village."

"Many thanks, my good ponies." The alicorn nodded. "I am honored you came out to greet me! Please, do lead on!"

The two earth ponies gestured, and began trotting back up the mountainside. Cadence slowly followed them, hindered by the freezing cold and blowing snow. It amazed the alicorn that the two mares could walk along the top of the snow without leaving a hoofprint, and could move so quickly that they left the princess in the dust. The only way Cadence could follow them, was by spotting the pink snow skis on Chilly Breeze's cutie mark.

As they clambered their way up the endless and winding path, Princess Cadence had to shield her eyes from the blinding snow. "How much farther?" She asked loudly, trying to be heard over the roaring winds.

"We are entering the village gates, my Princess." Chilly Breeze replied, gesturing up towards the wooden arch above them. It seemed at first there was nothing all around them, but a snowy blast of cold air whipped up around them... and suddenly there it was.

Candence would not believe her eyes, as she passed row after row of wooden dwellings, built low to the ground to avoid the force of the winds. The stallions and mares of the snow pony tribe cast nervous glances at the alicorn as she passed, staring in Silence at this unusual creature from thier long history.

"Excuse me, lady." A little filly with a red and orange mane asked, trotting up to her. "But are you the Crystal Princess?"

"I beg your paredon, little one." Cadence replied in confusion. "What exactly do you mean?"

"The crystal princess, with wings and a horn." The little filly with the jingle belle cutie mark and blue stocking cap asked again. "Grandma used to tell stories about how the Crystal Princess used to protect our herd, then she got scared and ran away."

The little filly's remarks were a hoof in the gut to the alicorn, who simply stood there, speechless. It was then a mare's voice called out to the little filly nervously.

"Jingle Jangle, suppertime! Let's leave the nice princess alone now!"

"Coming mommy!" The littly filly replied. "See you later, princess!" She replied, quickly trotting back into the snows, and vanishing from Cadence's eyes. The alicorn did her best, to fight back the tears, and appear strong.

"Let's go, your highness." Chilly Breezes motioned towards the largest hut, one the size of a small building. "The Chief will see you now."

Inside the chief's hut, a warm fire was going, and several woolen furs kept out the cold. Three earth ponies were seated around a fire, all regarding the alicorn with a cool aloofness. On the right was a mare with a pink coat and mane, whom Cadence recognized as Sno-glow, the tribe's ambassor to the Ponyland kingdoms.

On the on the left, was another pink mare with a tinsel colored mane. This was Winter Wish, whom the alicorn knew by reputation only. The tribal shamaness, she wore a fur cap with a set of deer antlers on it. It was to her the chief turned for all of her spiritual advice, and from her Cadence earned the most contempt.

In the center sat a noble-looking purple mare, with a white and blue striped mane. The chief of the snow ponies, Toboggan carried herself with a sense of authority and regalness that equaled Cadence at her finest. She looked upon the alicorn with a stern gaze that indicated respect, but also authority.

"Princess Cadence of Misty Mountian." Toboggan whinnied politely, nodding towards the alicorn. "We welcome you to our villiage, and wish to know why you have requested to come before us."

"Honorable leaders of the Snow Pony community." Cadence began, looking around at the assembled community. "I have come before you this day, in order to invite you and your tribe home from your long and unhappy exile in these lands. I know how much you and your ancestors have suffered, my dear subjects. And I am here to tell you that your herd's suffering is finally at an end!"

The three earth mares murmured amongst themselves for several minutes, before looking back at the alicorn with grim faces.

"Good Princess Cadence." Toboggan replied. "While we appreciate your generous offer, we must correct the misguided notion that we are your subjects, and that you are our Princess."

"B-but your tribe is descended from my Crystal Ponies!" Cadence protested. "Your ancestors lived happily under my rule for centuries!"

"The ponies of the Crystal Kingdom are indeed our ancestors, but we are the Snow Ponies, not the Crystal Ponies." Sno-Glow continued. "And we show no loyalty to a princess who abandons her subjects!"

"But I never meant to-" Cadence began, but Winter Wish raised her hoof, cutting the alicorn off.

"Do you remember a day, Princess Cadence, over five hundred years ago?" The shamaness threw a strange potion onto the fire, turning it green, and creating moving images in the smoke. "Do you remember an attack on the Crystal Capital, during the Grogar wars?"

The image showed several lava demons, the terrible invaders into the Crystal Kingdom, terrorizing the crystal ponies. Cadence saw them surfing through the streets on waves of lava, destroying every home and building they came across, in a wave of smoke and fire. Several crystal ponies, screaming and crying out to Cadence with their last breaths, were swept up in the molten river, and melted away into the stream of liquid fire.

"Our ancestors had a civilization that was the envy of Equestria, and King Levan and his minions destroyed it all." Snow-glo continued, as the image shifted to that of the present day Crystal Sea. "Now, the Crystal empire is a wasteland, inhabited only by lava demons and ice ogres."

"And you, in your royal arrogance, did nothing to prevent our ancestor's fall!" Tobaggan snorted angrily. "Levan, the murderer of our foremothers and destroyer of our civilization, rules in our former lands unpunished. The lava king now craves the elements of Harmony so that he may become a crystal being himself... a mockery of the very ponies he murdered so long ago!"

"But that's not the whole story!" The alicorn pleaded, tears straming down her face. "Shining Armor and I lost all of our children in that terrible war! The two of us only withdrew, because he had been terribly wounded!"

"You cared more for the stallion from Canterlot, whose natural life you had extended beyond it's natural length, than the welfare of your own herd!" Winter Wishes snapped, as the image shifted again. "The few survivors were forced to flee to the north, into the ice and cold far beyond the lava demon's reach!"

The smoke showed a line of ponies trudging though the mountains, the old and sick being helped along by the others, and their tears freezing in their eyes as they trudged along. A little filly dropped her doll, as her mother pulled her along quickly, as the stuffed toy was slowly enveloped by the snow.

"These mountains hardened us, turning us as harsh and brittle as the bitter cold that surrounded us." Sno-glow whinnied angrily, snorting a cloud of icy cold from her nostrils. "The crystal shattered, replaced in our hearts by the indestructible power of ice!"

"We shall not be going anywhere with you, arch traitor!" Toboggan hissed. "Your magic may have sustained us long ago, but we now nourish ourselves on the power of this bitter cold!"

"You can't do this! You are my subjects!" Princess Cadence protested. "The crystal ponies practically worshipped me!"

"We no longer look to you for guidance, Mi Amore Di Cadenza!" Winter Wishes yelled, pointing with an ice sculpture of a Pegasus with a halo and angel wings behind her. "After we were forced to flee, The mare Snow'el guided our forbearers to these cold peaks, and found us a new home here! It is to her we look for guidance!"

"While you never bothered to come looking for us... until now, five hundred years later!" Toboggan roared, stamping her hoof angrily. "You found a new herd of ponies to rule over! Even while the first few generations of Crystal ponies in these mountains, died in the cold and dark- still believing you would come to rescue them!"

"T-they still believed I would come for them?" Princess Cadence stumbled over her words, unable to form a coherent sentence. "I...I..."

"Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, leave our icy dominions, as I grant you safe conduct away from the frozen wastes." Toboggan finished. "But I warn you, should you ever return... you will not find the warm embrace of loyal subjects, awaiting your return. Rather, you shall find the icy embrace of the grave... granted by cold-hearted ponies that even the Windioges fear! FAREWELL!"

A cold wind suddenly blew through the tent flap, and the blinding snow whipped into Cadence's eyes. As the wind died down again, the princess found the three ponies, the tent, and even the entire village were gone! The alicorn was standing alone in the falling snow.

It was at that moment, that Mi Amore Di Cadenze accepted that some failures, even for an immortal, cannot be undone. Turning her head sadly, Princess started her way back down the mountain.

_"Farewell to you, Snow Ponies."_ The alicorn thought to herself sadly. _"From here on out… your destiny is your own!"_


	5. Chapter 5

_A pony apart..._

_Throughout my writings on the history of this land, I have told the tales of many ponies. From the shining romance of the age of Equestria, down to the modern, dark, and throughly dangerous era of Ponyland, they have trotted through the pages of my work, their words and deeds coming to life for my most honored readers. I delved into their joys and sorrows, thier triumphs and tragedies. But of all the ponies I have spoken of in my texts, of all the mares and stallions whom my feathery quilled pens have ever recorded, there is one whose life I have not spoken of... one who's thoughts and feelings and deeds are more well known to me than any of the rest of Ponydom. Being an objective historian, I have refrained from opening this pony's heart and mind to you, my dearest readers..._

_...until now._

"Tornado, could you be a darling, and bring those books over here please?"

"Huh? Oh, of course! Coming right up, Miss Paradise!"

The light of the afternoon was sun shining through the windows of the Misty Mountain Fortress library, illuminating the bookshelves in which we were performing our labors. Paradise, a white Pegasus with a Palm tree cutie mark was busily re-shelving all the newest returns, while I was busy checking the last stack over at the counter. We had both been hard at work for the past hour since the library closed, and were both grateful that our work was nearly done.

"My, you're really good at this Tornado! Truly you are!" The white Pegasus beamed at me, flying a book up to the top shelf. "Your mother trained you to be a very good librarian!"

"Thank you, miss Paradise. You are most kind." I reply politely, bowing to her. "But I have no desire to be a librarian full-time... that is not where my talents lie."

"Gee, that's a shame!" She replied with a giggle. "I've rarely seen a stallion with your skills with filing and cataloging!"

Paradise might be correct in her summation of my skills... but she is far off the mark with what I wish to do with my life. I wish to be a historian pony... to objectively record the long and complex narrative that is the history of equine civilization, and preserve it for all generations of ponies to come! Oh, to recall the glories of Ponyland's past! To revel in-

Oh! Forgive me, I do have a tendency to ramble when I'm on that particular subject... I should introduce myself first. My name is Tornado Firehooves, and I am a blue unicorn with a Pink and purple mane. My cutie mark- a swirling white tornado, represents a mind that is always at work, always in motion I often fear it is a mind that will most certainly go to waste.

"Okay Tornado...levitate _two for the sky _over to the fiction section... and _Where little foals come from _over to the young adult section!" She instucts me, without even looking up from her work.

With very little effort, I meticulously shelve the two titles in the proper slots. Not even a page is out of place, so precise am I!

"There, glad we finally got that section all re-organized." I whinny, wiping a bit of sweat from my brow. "Now, only a few more shelves to go..."

My parents had raised me at misty mountain fortress... the earliest memories I have are galloping happily between the shelves, trying to play hide and go seek while mother worked. Those were the happiest times in my life... and they were over in the blink of an eye. The years passed quickly, and I watched as first my grandparents, then my aunts and uncles, then finally my father went to the great Horsemaster. Now, I am all that is left- last surviving pony of the ancient and noble house of Firehoof.

My mother's recent Passing meant I needed help getting the place in order. Dream Castle had been kind enough to send this wonderful Pegasus over to help me arrange things... and I for one could not be happier. A hopeless dreamer, Paradise was either lost in some fairy tail she was reading... or telling other ponies about it.

"Well, that about does it here." She told me, flapping up towards the window. "I think you'll be able to keep this unruly mass of books under control without me now."

"Paradise, wait!" I called out to her. "I wanted to thank you for all the help you've been." I scratched the back of my neck with my hoof. "Would... would you care to stay tonight, and accom-pony me to the Grand Galloping gala at the royal paradise? I have two tickets I managed to acquire!"

"Thank you, Tornado! That's really sweet!" The white Pegasus smiled down at me. "But you should really find a pony your own age to go with you!" And with that, she took to the sky. "Goodbye, Tornado! And good luck!"

"My own age... right..." I sighed, realizing I already knew she was going to say no. Long past my twenty-fifth year, I was already older than most single fillies, and it had been years since any had looked at me with interest. Shaking my mane sadly, I trotted out the door of the library, and turned off the lights behind me as I left.

As I made my way down the hall, I noticed several colts and fillies scattered throughout the hallway, talking to each other and laughing. They took little notice of the overly serious stallion who trotted past them, staring right though me as if I wasn't even there.

Ponies, my research tells me, are a race built on friendship and harmony. Yet there was always something in my nature that seemed to make other ponies shirk away from me in disgust... something that made them see me as _not _being a part of the herd. This quality is a thing I wish I could expunge from myself, though I obviously have no idea what it is.

It wasn't long before a young Pegasus stallion in armor came trotting up to me, a large, hopeful smile on his face. His words beamed with excitement, and I could already tell he wanted something.

"Tornado, my main man, what's up?" The royal guard-in training beamed. "How did it go with asking Paradise to go with the gala?"

"Hello, Thundercloud." I snorted, scowling at him. "She shot me down, just like Fireball said she would."

Thundercloud was one of the so-called 'mountain boy ponies'- a gang of six ponies of which I am the eldest. They are the only friends I have, and I usually act as something of a mentor/big brother to the rest of the group

"Ohhhh! Sorry to hear that, man!" He replied sympathetically. "Guess that means you won't be going to-"

"Yes, you can have the ticket, Thundercloud. I know that's what you're after!" I sort again, levitating the object of his desire out of my bag. "Now could you leave me to think for awhile?"

"Aw, don't be so snarky, Tornado!" My Pegasus companion whinnied to me. "I really was rooting for you ta not get shot down this time!"

"Look, Thunder... I'm not really in the mood for your jibes today." I muttered aloud. "Could you do me a really big favor, and takes your jibes someplace else?"

"Thanks, man! I owe ya one!" He flashed me another grin, then took off flying. "Don't look so down man, I'll kiss a girl for ya there!"

"Thanks, I think..." I mutter under my breath, as I trot away. What is wrong with me? I do I feel totally alone, even though I have several friends? MY whole life, I've felt like I was apart from the herd, instead of a part of it. The only ponies who ever understood me was my family... and now, the last of them is forever lost to me.

How am I so different from all other equines? My mind is always working... some ponies say a bit too much. My thoughts are ever a flurry of activity, as is symbolized by my Tornado cutie mark. I am ever worried about even the slightest problem that faces the herd, the what if's flooding my brain like a raging river. Are we going to be attacked by the troggles this season, trying to steal our crops again? Will we work out that trade treaty with the Blarks? Such questions will not leave me alone, haunting me all hours of the day and night.

But it is not only my relationships with other ponies that has suffered- no, my career in historiography- my special talent, for which I have few equals with in Ponyland- it has suffered, as well. For too long have I squandered my talents, seeking thrills and pleasure over studying and hard work. I squandered the opportunities that were laid before me on a silver plate- and must now suffer the consequences of my foolish actions.

As I trot back to my apartment, I open the door with a sigh. The silent emptiness of my humble abode, stretching out before me. Twinkles, my little orange feline friend, runs up to greet me.

"Meow!" My pet exclaims, his joy in seeing me mixed with his desire for a meal.

"All right, you little beggar! I've got your food right here!" I levitate a can of cat food out and open it, sitting it down on the floor for my purring friend. With a sigh, I trot over to the window, and stare out at the setting sun.

"She turned me down, Twinkles." I tell him sadly, staring out the window. "Rejected me, just like all the others did... though she was a bit nicer about it!"

_"Sorry Tornado, I have to, um... do my mane!"_

_"Will I go to the gala with you? Are you flanking kidding me?!"  
_

___"Why don't you just giver up, Tornado? No mare wants to be seen in public with you!"_

What was wrong with me, I wondered? Why can every other stallion win the heart of a mare, and find happiness? Does my worrying and constant fear of something going wrong really set me apart from other ponies that much? Am I so different in that way, that I cannot even relate to my own kind?

"You think too much, man! And ya worry too much!" I remember Lightning, my earth pony friend, telling me. "You're so Paranoid, everybody says you act more like a human that a pony!"

Perhaps he is right, I realize with as sigh. As I stare out at the courtyard below, I can see the Pegasus-pulled chariots taking off into the darkening sky, heading off for a night of fun and frivolity at the gala. All of my friends have gone, leaving , myself to sit in a near-empty fortress. As I watch them go, I am reminded of a wasted youth- failed relationships, turned-down educational opportunities- that led me into the mired situation I am presently in.

As the last happy couple takes off into the clouds, I come to realize the dismal future that awaits me. Old age among a herd that tolerates my presence, followed by the icy and final touch of death. My dreams of a family, of children... all of them fade from my eyes, even as the light of the setting sun fades, right before my very eyes. No, my only companion I will ever know, will be the lonely embrace of Twilight; it's shadows filling my heart with lonliness and despair.

So be it, then. Come forth, twilight, my lifelong comapanion in lonliness! I doth both await and except thy eager embrace!


	6. Chapter 6

_The fall of Equestria_

_Here, recovered from the archives of the Royal Paradise, is the only surviving written account of the fall of Canterlot, by the last commander of that great city's defenders. I have translated the text from old Equestrian Whinnying to modern Ponyland English (the common tongue for all of Ponyland since the arrival of humans), but I have changed it to present tense in order to heighten the tension for the reader..._

Have you ever walked in on the tail end of tragic play, and only seen the final few, gut-wrenching moments? Oh sure, you know the whole plot and story up to that point from things you've heard from friends, and reviews you may have read. But not actually _seeing_ the happy times that spiraled downhill into this sorrow, lessens the impact on you. Well, I have personally lived through the final moments of such a tragedy, and I must say... my sorrow is no less than if I had experienced the entire story.

My name is Daffodil, and I am the captain of the Royal guard of Canterlot- the first mare to hold such an esteemed position, and probably the last. It is exceptionally rare and unusual to find a female in the ranks of the Equestrian Military, despite the fact we are the socially dominant gender among ponies... but these are unusual times we live in.

I was born into an Equestria already in decline... a pale shadow of a once-greater empire, devastated by the wars of the past two centuries. Although it was a livable place during my foalhood, things were not as glorious as they once were. All around us were the stain glass windows, depicting the heroic age of the harmony bearers and thier battles. Such times seem like a distant memory now.

"Captain! There is a messenger approaching the gate!" Tulip, my second in command, trots up and informs me. A white mare with a pink mane, my friend is highly sought after by the stallion guards under my command.

"A pony in armor." I snort, looking down at the new arrival outside. "Guards! Open the doors at once!"

The wounded mare limps inside, and shakes off the attempts of the pony medics to help her. As I trotted down the steps to greet her, the yellow mare with the orange mane looks up at me.

"Lieutenant, status report!" I snort, recognizing her rank by her armor design.

"M'am! Snowdrop of the Manehatten city guard, M'am!" She salutes, and I return the gesture. "I come from the east with news! The city of Manehatten has fallen!"

"What?! You cannot be serious!" Tulip whinnied in shock. "Surely Manehatten's defenses were able to hold the goblin army back!"

"This is a very unfortunate turn of events." I reply, remembering that goblins don't take prisoners. "Tell me, were there any survivors?"

"There was an estimated seventy percent causality rate." Snowdrop answered. "The rest of the remaining guards and civilians have fled to Baltimare!"

"Great Celestia…" Tulip whinnies in shock, using the long-dead princess's name as an exclamation

"They'll be safe there, Lady Ringlets has her city well defended." I reassure my two fellow earth mares. A white noblepony with a pink mane, Ringlets is a master strategist and tactician. Her only flaw is her love of Samurai and ninja tales from the donkey kingdoms of the east. If she had her way, she would remake Baltimare into a pagoda-filled paradise.

"With Manehatten gone, they'll be attacking Canterlot next." Tulip snorted. "We are the last obstacle standing between them, and the total domination of Equestria!"

I silently nod my head in agreement, turning over in my head how we came to this. It had only been a few months ago, that the foes of Equestria- Changelings, goblins, diamond dogs, and lava demons- joined together in a grand alliance. Invading in a moment of weakness, they quickly destroyed the city of Fillydelphia, and battled our armies all throughout the countryside.

"Can we expect any help from anypony?" Snowdrop asked hopefully. "Surely Misty Mountain could-"

"Princess Cadence's magic shield is barely keeping the lava demons out." Tulip tells her. "Her kingdom is in no shape to send any troops."

Snowdrop's face falls a little bit. "What about Tall Tale?"

"Duchess Highlights runs her city like a military dictatorship, favoring the art and philosophy of old imperial Pegasaopolis." I snort. "Even if we ordered her to send reinforcements, she'd claim she couldn't spare them!"

"What about Los Pegasus?" She asked, getting desperate. "I heard they were recently liberated from the Changeling occupation they had been under, since the beginning of the war!"

"Yes, liberated by the Flutter Ponies!" Tulip snorted. "Those xenophobes had been living in hiding in the Applewood mountains, and only exterminated the Changelings because they were a threat to them!"

"Queen Rosedust has made the city her capital. The ponies the changelings enslaved have simply traded one harsh master for slightly more benevolent one, that won't drain their love away." I add. "The flutter ponies are more likely to attack us after this is all over, than to come to our rescue!"

"Then… what about Bright Valley?" Snowdrop made one last, desperate attempt. "Surely Princess Golden Glow-"

"They are surrounded… as are Tall Tale, Baltimare, and Misty Mountain." Tulip shook her mane. "Snowdrop… we are on our own."

At that, our messenger falls silent. As Tulip leads the injured Snowdrop inside, I return to my watch atop the wall. By nightfall, I realize, these hills would be swarming with goblins and Diamond Dogs. We would be in for the fight of our lives.

As I look down into the valley below, I saw the recently abandoned town of Ponyville far off in the distance. It had been painful for me to lead a recon team into the abandoned town, to see the boarded up shops and abandoned homes. I was born there, I remembered, and always saw myself as a county girl, a rustic filly from the same hometown as the harmony bearers. And no amount of royal guard training would change that.

It broke my heart when all the inhabitants fled Ponyville a month past, seeking refuge in Dream Valley kingdom, deep within the dangerous and mysterious everfree forest. My family, my friends, the ponies I had grown up with… all of them had abandoned their country for a fleeting promise of protection. At least they would be safe in Dream Castle, as even our invaders were too afraid to venture into that mysterious forest.

The Harmony bearers… I wonder what they would think of us now? The kingdom they saved again and again on the brink of collapse, the barbarians at the gates. Would Fluttershy cry at all the animals the invaders are butchering for food? Would Rarity weep at the destruction of beautiful garments the looters tore the diamonds off of, shredding the fabric and using it for other purposes? Would Pinkie Pie sob at the laughter that turned to tears, as the goblin killed and devoured every pony they came across?

And would Twilight Sparkle understand we, the generation that would let Equestria fall, never wanted this? This was the kingdom we inherited… a kingdom on it's last legs.

I am so lost in my own thoughts, that I fail to notice a large mare trot out of the palace, and quietly walk up behind me.

"Captain Daffodil?" An older but noble voice called out. "Mayest we haveth a word with thou?"

I spun around, to find myself face to face with a goddess. Not many other ponies still believe that's what she is… but I come from an old family, where traditions are strong.

"My Princess." I bow low before Luna, the sole sovereign ruler of the kingdom of Equestria. "Tell me, what can I do for you?"

"We have spent many of these hours past, in deep contemplation and meditation." The princess informed me, looking out over the horizon. "It has occurred to us that Canterlot may fall this very night."

"My princess! Surely you have faith in your loyal troops!" I protest, trying to hide my growing despair. "We can defend this city from that rabble of monsters!"

"Let us be realistic, our loyal servant." Luna shook her mane. "This city shall soon betih under a seige most perilous. It would be best if the civilian ponies were taken from this place, so that they will not fall to our foe's wrath."

"You are correct, my princess. We should move the civilians out of harm's way." Shaking my mane, I sigh. "I'll give the order, to begin the evacuation at once."

"We shall send them to Vanhoover, the fallback capital that we had established, some calamity befall Canterlot." Princess Luna agreed. "The Princess Ponies should be taken there, as they will be needed should something foul befall ourselves."

"Should I assign a group of guards to accom-pony them?" I ask.

"Yes, my fair Daffodil." She nodded wisely. "And it shall be you, who leads them unto their sanctuary!"

"Princess!" I protest. "Send me not from your side-!"

"Captian!" She snorts. "You have duty to the civilians, and to my royal heirs! I command you to get them out of the city!"

"As you wish, Princess." I lower my head in sorrow. "So, this is how it ends? Equestria, which has stood for more than three thousands years, perishes in a terrible pile of smoke and ruin?"

"From the moment the three tribes made Peace, and founded this kingdom as a home for all equines, ponykind has been blessed." Under her voice as she spoke, my ears can pick up the sound of distant marching approaching the valley from the east. "Thanks to this kingdom, many generations of ponies have learned to live together in harmony, through the power of friendship."

"And now, Ponykind will have to live without it!" I try to hold back my tears. "Our race, that was once master of it's own destiny, will be driven back into the hills, and forced to live at the mercy of their conquerors!"

"Future generations of ponies, will be the servants instead of the masters. 'Tis true." My Princess lowered her head. "But friendship will not die with Eequestria, so long as ponies keep it alive. It will fall to your generation, my dear Daffodil, to find a new way."

"Won't you come with us, my Princess?" I plead with her, nuzzling her mane. "We will need you to guide us! Ponykind will be lost without you!"

But the princess shook her mane. "Equestria was my sister and I's kingdom. Even here, at the end, I shall not leave it." She smiled at me. "It's time for ponykind to grow up, and no longer rely on two ancient alicorns for protection. It is time for the younger and fresher minds to take control of things."

"Farewell, my Princess!" I hug Luna, weeping. "We shall all miss you!"

"Goodbye, my little pony!" Tears streamed down her face. "Adulthood has come, and I must leave you behind!"

...

I form the long stream of refugees into a line, trotting away from the city single file, with my guards flanking them on either side. Nearly behind me are Tulip and Snowdrop, making sure everypony keeps up.

As the city fades into the distance behind us, we hear the sounds of marching and battle coming from behind us. When I finally have the courage to look back, I see the tendrils of smoke and flames rising from Canterlot. Many foals wept at the loss of the only home they had ever known, and many of the guard's wives wept at the thought of the soldiers we had left behind, to help Luna make her last stand.

We meet little resistance along the way, and loet only one- a mare named Red Ribbon, who vanished around the time we saw a few large trolls. Otherwise, the monsters seem more interested in talking the Capital, rather than attacking a group of fleeing refugees.

Our long and arduous trek took us north along the unicorn run- we guards move the ponies along stealthily- hiding by day, and trotting by night, though these dangerous lands. This was no longer the safety of Equestria, but the dark and shadowy land of a thousand horrible things, ready to devour us. Finally, we arrive at Vanhoover, where the council of Princess ponies is given a hasty coronation, and the Canterlot ponies are assimilated into the Vanhoover herd.

In the days that follow, representatives arrive at the new capital, and pledge their allegiance to the new rulers. As I fulfill my duties of captain of the royal guard, I hear talk the talk of nobility and politicians, and I don't know wither to be amused or disgusted;

"The destruction of Canterlot is an outrage! Tal Tale will gladly send troops... in exchange for autonomy after our victory, of Course!"

"Baltimare will honor your request to send troops... but we desire the rest of the kingdom to call us Hoofkaido!"

"We will send soldiers to drive these foes from our lands... but Bright Valley proposes power be shifted to local rulers! Surely you can see the princesses of each city-fortress are better suited to govern their subjects, than a potentate in some far-away capital!"

I watch as the leaders of Ponykind carve a united Equestria into their own personal fiefdoms. I watched as towns with proud and long histories, such as Tal Tale, are rebuilt into armed fortresses, bristling with firepower. And I watch, with great Sorrow and disgust, as the princess ponies approve a loyalty oath, reducing every mare, stallion, and foal in the kingdom to a state of feudal vassals. The last of our freedoms are stripped away, as we enter a feudal age of war and chaos.

It is not long before the war is over, and the last of the enemies are driven from Equestria. But in thier departure, a new order has replaced the kingdom of Celestia and Luna. I choke back tears, as the flag of Equestria is lowered for the last time, and the flag of the newly created Ponyland confederacy rises in it's place. Princess Luna has never seen again, though rumors of her survival persist. But even if she did survive the battle, a new world has dawned, and I and my loyal troops feel as if we have no place in it.

It is therefore with regret that I must turn in this letter of resignation, to the council of Princess ponies- for both myself, and my two lieutenants, Tulip and Snowdrop. The three of us have agreed to retire and open a flower stall in Vanhoover (or the Royal Paradise, as it is now being called), and settle down to find stallions to wed. Our cutie marks are, after all, each the very flowers whose names we bear.

I also agree to stay behind and train the first captain of the Confederation's royal guard. But I can no longer, in good conscience, continue to wear this redesigned new uniform, when the country who I swore to serve at the beginning of my career, no longer exists...

_The letter cuts off here, the rest of the pages probably lost in the constant reshuffling that the archives went though over the next five centuries. We have no clearer account of that final tragic battle than this letter excerpt- all others are accounts were collected by the Royal historians, from elderly ponies, years after they had fled Canterlot. It is sad to see what our ancestors went through in Equestria's death throes, but also serves as a warning to Ponyland, to never forget the sacrifices and losses that were endured, to make way for the world that we now know._

_Tornado Firehooves_

_Royal court historian__, Dream Valley_


	7. Chapter 7

_YOU EAT MEAT?!, Part one- the parade of costumes_

_Set during the events of the story 'Classroom of the future'_

"Cheerilee, may I speak to you for a minute?"

Having just finished grading her classes' math tests, the Dream Castle school mare looked up from her desk, to see a blue mare with a yellow and pink mane standing in the classroom doorway.

"Yes, Sky Rocket, what is it?" Putting the stack of papers in her desk, the pink earth pony trotted over to where the pony with the Fireworks cutie mark stood. "What can I do for you?"

The castle's master pyrotechincian, Skyrocket prepared all of the castle's fireworks displays for holidays and special events, as well as all of the gunpowder-loaded defenses built into the palace's walls. Cheerilee had the misfortune of meeting her, when her daughter Sparkle Rocket, one of the classroom's students, tried to light the teacher's tail bow on fire.

"Well, Glory and I were busy planning this year's parade of costumes, and we were just starting to put the guest list together." She stared at Cheerilee with a pair of eerie jewel eyes. "Glory sent me to see if you and a stallion would be attending the event tomorrow night?"

""The Parade of costumes?" Cheerilee cocked an ear, staring at Sky Rocket curiously. "What in the name of Celestia is that?"

"Oh, that's right, you're new to the Castle!" Sky Rocket cleared her throat. "You've heard of the grand Galloping gala, haven't you?"

"Oh yes! The royal ball that used to be held at Canterlot castle!" Cheerilee replied with a sigh. "I used to dream of going when I was a filly!"

"Well... it's kinda like that, but only for Dream Valley!" Sky Rocket whinnied. "Everybody wears costumes, and there's dancing and music!"

"Ohhh, that sounds like a lot of fun!" The earth pony teacher smiled. "And I think I know just the stallion to take..."

"So, I can count on you and a date to be there, then?" Sky Rocket asked hopefully.

"N-e-e-e-e-e-i-i-i-g-g-g-h!" Cheerilee bleated out, before her eyes went wide, and she covered her mouth with her hoof. Rushing back to her desk, she grabbed a bottle of yellow liquid , marked "Translation potion", and downed a teaspoon of it.

"There, that's better!" The earth pony teacher said with a sigh. "If Glory hadn't given me this serum Zigzag had mixed up, I wouldn't be able to understand anypony here, or vice versa!"

"You're really lucky AJ and Glory both spoke the old Equestrian whinny when they got you out of that book." Sky Rocket replied with a sigh. "You know, you really should learn to speak English, Cheerilee! That way, you won't need that potion anymore!"

"I still can't believe ponykind gave up whinnying to adopt the language of the human settlers!" Cheerilee shook her mane. "In any case, I need to go and start getting ready! If it tomorrow night, I only have a day and a half!"

Cheerilee galloped out the door, leaving a bewildered Sky Rocket what the hay had just happened.

...

"The Parade of costumes?" A surprised Wigwam snorted. "Why in the name of the horsemaster would you want to go to that boring old-"

"I always wanted to go to the grand galloping gala, but I never got a chance to!" The teacher frowned. "This could be my only opportunity to have a best night ever!"

The two were having a milkshake at the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe, when Cheerilee revealed her unusual request. The tribal pony had no interest in going to the event, but the earth pony teacher seemed not to take no for an answer.

"Look, Cheerilee, the Parade of Costumes just isn't my kind of thing." Wigwam snorted. "I really don't think I'd enjoy it!"

"Oh, I see..." The teacher frowned, and looked down at her milkshake. "I understand."

Looking at her unhappy face, a defeated Wigwam let out a sigh. "All right, I'll escort you to the gala!"

"Horray! Thank you so much, Wiggy!" She hugged him, and galloped away. "I need to go and get buttons to make me a last minute costume!"

As she galloped out the door, several other ponies in the room looked up at Wigwam, who nodded towards all of them.

"All right, she's gone." He sighed. "Go ahead and bring your meat out of hiding!"

At Wigwam's words, several ponies pulled pizzas, cheeseburgers, and fish sandwiches out from beneath their tables. As Wigwam pulled his own barbecue pork sandwich out, a white stallion with a blue mane and fire hose cutie mark trotted up.

"Top ah the mornin to ya, Wigwam!" The big earth pony greeted her friend, taking a seat beside him. "And how are ye on this fine day?"

"Hello, Chief!" The buffalo pony replied with a sigh. "Not bad, I suppose. How are your wife and children doing?"

The head of Dream Valley's fire department, Chief was one of the few stallions who could actually call Wigwam friend.

"Begorah! Ye know Wind Whistler,me boy! Always on me back about something or another!" The stallion chuckled in his thick brogue accent. "And the laddies and lasses be fine, as well! Are are things with ye an that fine teacher filly, hm?"

"Eh, not so good, my old friend." Wigwam took a bite of his sandwich. "She's got me taking her to the parade of costumes tomorrow night, and you know what that means!"

"Wigwam, Lad..." Chief shook his mane. "Ye can't hide our little secret here at Dream Valley from her forever!"

"Queen Majesty has instructed the ponies in the castle, to refrain from telling Cheerilee about the fact dream valley ponies are omnivorous! We've even ordered the youths in her class to remain silent!" Wigwam snorted. "We have no idea how she will react, so we are withholding that information until the time is right!"

"Well, at least ye won't have anything ta worry about tomorrow night!" Chief whinnied. "With all o' those foreign guests at the ball tomorrow night, there won't be a bit o' meat in sight!"

"Well, that's one thing I can be glad of!" Wigwam snorted, downing the last of his chocolate milkshake.

...

The next evening, Wigwam arrived at Cheerilee's apartment in the castle to escort her to the ball, as he knocked on the door, a pony in costume opened it to greet him.

"So Wigwam..." Cheerilee asked, trotting in a circle to show off her new costume. "How do I look?"

She was clad in a white dress and cap, with a red cross on it- the garb of a nurse.

"You look lovely, miss Cheerilee." Wigwam simply smiled. "You'll be the belle of the ball!"

"Oh, quit teasing me, you!" She snorted, looking him over. "I must say, you do look rather handsome in your feather headdress, though."

"Most ponies from outside the kingdom don't know I actually am a Buffalo pony, so it works as a most effective costume." He offered her a hoof. "Shall we go?"

"I'd love to!" She smiled, taking his hoof.

The two trotted down towards the grand ballroom, where hundreds of ponies were all gathered, all laughing and talking with each other. As she and Wigwam trotted down the red carpeted stairs, the pink earth mare couldn't help but admire the ribbons and lace hanging everywhere, and the many colorful costumes all the ponies were wearing.

"This...this is so wonderful..." She muttered breathlessly.

"Cheerilee! So glad you could make it!" Glory trotted up to her, wearing a witches costume. "So glad you could make it! And great costume, by the way!"

"Thank you, so very much!" Cheerilee replied warmly. "And I'm glad to see you and Fireball here, as well!"

The two mares looked over to the cider table, where Glory's stallion was downing glass after glass, laughing it up with the other boys. The two mare simply shook their manes.

"Boys will be boys!" The white unicorn chuckled.

"Wow, there are so many ponies here!" Cheerilee whinnied, looking around.

"Equine dignitaries from every corner of Ponyland!" Wigwam agreed. "We get more visitors here at the ball than any other time of year!"

"Speaking of which..." She trotted over to where three chatting mares stood, and got their attention. "Cheerilee, I'd like you to meet Sweet Suds, Red Roses and Sweet Lily. They're from the Perfume Puff clan- the best family of spa ponies in Fort Rainbow Dash!"

"Hello, Miss Cheerilee, it's nice to meet you!" Red Roses, the yellow unicorn with the pink mane, greeted her.

"Hiya, Miss Cheerilee! We've sure heard a lot about you!" Sweet Suds, the pink earth pony with the blue mane, greeted her.

"Indeed! It is an honor to meet de time-lost teacher from Ponyville!" Sweet Lily, the elder pink mare with a white mane, finished. "Our family once came from dat place, as our ancestors severed the Harmony bearers at their spa!"

"A pleasure to meet you three!" Cheerilee shook each of the three's hooves. Looking at their oddly poofy manes, the earth pony teacher suddenly noticed something familiar about these mares, and there odd accents.

"Don't tell me... their names were Lotus and Aloe, Correct?" Cheerilee replied with a smirk.

The three ponies stared at her, and Blinked. "Why miss Cheerilee? Did you know de two spa mares of Ponyville?"

"I used to visit their spa in Ponyville all the time!" The pink mare nodded. "Oh, the stories I could tell you!"

"Uh, Cheerilee?" Wigwam told her, getting her attention. "I'm going over to the cider table while you four talk, alright?"

"Huh? Oh, go ahead." She told him. "But you be back over later, I want a few dances out of you before the night is through!"

"Looking forward to it." He smiled at her, before trotting off.

The evening went spectacularly, far better than Cheerilee could have imagined. She talked and danced all through the night, despite the fact Wigwam kept stepping on her hooves.

"Sorry, I seem to have four left feet, as the humans say." He whinnied in the middle of a dance.

"You're a pony, you doofus!" She teased him. "You don't have any feet!"

After they had finished their third dance, the pink earth mare went back to chat with her three new friends.

"Whoa, you sure know how to dance out dere, Cheerilee!" Red Roses chortled. "Me date and I weren't nearly so talented!"

"Oh, it was nothing!" An embarrassed teacher replied bashfully. "I just remembered a few moves from my youth is all!"

"So tell me, miss Cheerilee..." Sweet Suds asked coyly. "What dis goin' on wit you an' de Wigwam, huh?"

"Oh, he and I are jest friends, at the moment." She replied, blushing. "It was very nice of him to bring me to the Parade of Costumes, though!"

"Have you tried cooking him a good dish- say, a nice steak, or side a' rib?" Sweet Lily asked. "Dey say de way to a man's heart is trough his stomach, don't ya know?"

"Steak? Rib?" Cheerile's eyes went wide with horror. "B-but that's meat! Dead animals!"

"Dream Valley's Ponies eat meat, don't ya know!" Red Roses replied. "What, did I say somethin wrong?"

"Eat... meat..." A look of disgust and revulsion crossed her face, and she galloped over to where Wigwam was drinking a glass of punch with his friends.

"Is it true? Do dream Valley ponies eat other animals?!" She demanded of him. "Please, please tell me it isn't true!"

Wigwam spit his punch out when he heard her words. "Well... that is... I really don't..."

Cheerilee went hysterical. "BUTCHERS! BARBARIANS! HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO HORRIBLE!?"

Tears streaming down her face, Cheerilee galloped from the room in a hurry.

"Oh no..." Wigwam sighed, burying his face in his hooves.

"Led, ye better go after her!" Chief replied with a sigh. "Ye have a lot o' splanin' ta do!"

_Continued in part 2!_


	8. Chapter 8

_YOU EAT MEAT?!- Part 2_

"Cheerrilee, are you in there?" Wigwam called out, knocking on her door.

"Go away!" She called out, her voice a mix of pain or sorrow. "You just want me to open the door so you can eat me... or something!"

"Cheerilee, don't be ridiculous!" The stallion outside her door snorted. "We're not cannibals!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She opened the door, and stared at him angrily. "Why did you all keep your kingdom's dirty little secret from me?!"

"Because we didn't know how you'd take it!" He scowled. "Even most of your students were afraid to pull that card on you, out of fear of their parent's wrath!"

"A few of them did mention it, but I thought it was more of their tricks!" The pink mare snorted. "But if you lied to me about this, what else did you lie to me about? How can I believe anything anypony in this castle says?"

"Cheerilee-!" Wigwam started, but teacher slammed the door in his face.

With a sigh, the buffalo pony shook his mane sadly, and trotted off.

"The _nerve_ of that stallion!" The mare snorted, trotting across her room. How dare he not tell me something so important!"

"And how would you have reacted if he had?" A voice behind her said.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" The teaching mare nearly jumped out of her horseshoes in surprise, before turning to see a familiar orange pony.

"Applejack! Haven't you ever heard of a thing called a 'door'?" The pink equines struggled to catch her breath. "How did you even get in here, anyway?"

"There are advantages to being friends with the castle's spy ponies." AJ replied. "And again I ask... how would you have reacted if he had told you? Any differently than your freakout back there?"

"How was I supposed to react to the revelation that there are ponies that actually eat meat?" Cheerilee asked. "Do you devour the flesh of other animals too now, Applejack?"

"No, but my children do. The spell has to be cast on a pony when she's a foal." The orange mare shook her mane. "There are several ponies in Dream Castle who immigrated in from other communities. They can't eat meat, either."

"Well, at least they won't try to make me into a ghoul, too!" Cheerilee gave a sigh of relief. "But... ponies that eat other _animals..._"

"Didn't we know several Griffins back in Equestria who ate meat?" AJ asked her, pointing out a fact she had overlooked. "Did we think they were barbarians?"

"Okay, you got me there. There are many unintelligent animals out there to eat!" The pink mare admitted. "But still, a pony who eats meat..."

"It's a different culture you're living in now. Love and tolerance, Cheerilee." Applejack smiled, reminding her of the old Equestrian motto. "Love and tolerance."

"Fine, you got me." The teacher snorted in defeat. "I admit I over-reacted a bit, but it was still quite a shock!"

"You're not kidding!" Applejack chuckled. "I had the same reaction when I found out about it, as well!"

"I wish I hadn't run out of the party in such a hurry!" Cheerilee said with a sigh. "I wanted one last dance with Wigwam before the evening ended."

"Well, It's not too late to head back!" AJ replied, smiling. "I have a feeling that certain buffalo pony is waiting for you back there!"

"What? I can't go back in there!" The teacher snorted. "Not after the way I acted!"

"Don't worry, they'll forget anything even happened!" The orange mare replied with chuckle. "Now, let's get you back to that stallion of yours!"

...

As soon as Applejack and Cheerile came back into the room, they were surrounded by several ponies.

"Miss Cheerilee, We are so sorry!" Sweet Suds exclaimed apologetically.

"We had no idea you didn't know your own herd ate de meat!" Red Roses continued.

"Please, allow us to make it up to you in some way!" Sweet Lily finished.

"Oh, girls... it was my fault, really!" The pink mare smiled. "I really shouldn't have reacted so-"

"There she is!" An angry voice called out. "That's the mare who looks down on us for eating meat!"

Moondancer, the castle busy-body, came trotting up to where they were all standing. Behind her were several angry mares, snorting and staring at Cheerilee darkly.

"Moondacer, I didn't here you slither up!" Applejack snorted. "Do you and your pack of overbearing soccer moms really have to make trouble at the parade of costumes?"

"So she thinks she better than us, huh?" One mare called out.

"Maybe she shouldn't be teaching our foals, then!" Another snorted.

"Uh oh..." Sweet Suds whinnied, taking a step back. "Dis is gonna be gettin' ugly, really fast!"

"We gotta do sometin'!" Sweet Lily exclaimed, moving in front of Cheerilee. "Girls, let em' have it!"

Suddenly, the three powder puff ponies released an odd pink mist from thier manes, which filled the nostrils of the anrgy mares that had encircled them. The looks on all of thier faces grew very, very drowsy.

"Ugh... I think I wanna go lie down..." One yawned.

"I'm feeling really sleepy all of a sudden." Another mare trotted off, barely keeping her eyes open.

"Cheerille, well settle this -yaaaawwwwn- later!" Moondancer snorted quietly. "I think I need to turn in early!"

"What was..." Cheerilee asked in shock. "How did you-?"

"We're not called de powder puff ponies for nothin'!" Red Roses chuckled.

"Whoa, I have _got_ to learn more about all the different kinds of modern ponies!" The bewildered teacher replied.

"We just doin our best ta help!" Sweet Lily whinnied. "Now, I tink someone is here ta see ya!"

"Gled to see you came out of your room. Wigwam came trotting up, smiling. "The party wouldn't be the same without you!"

"Wigwam, I'm sorry I was so rude!" Cheerilee's ears drooped. "I understand why you did what you did!"

"Don't worry about it, miss Cheerilee." He bowed to her. "Now, my good teacher... may I have this dance?"

The two returned to the dance floor, where the last song- a slow number that Cheerilee couldn't place- started to play. Wigwam took the mare into his hooves, and moved slowly to the music.

"So..." Cheerilee asked, smiling at the stallion. "Is there anything else in this crazy society, that you've neglected to tell me about?"

"Well..." Wigwam looked away, sheepishly. "There is the little matter of what that glue we buy off the humans is made of..."


	9. Chapter 9

_Betrayal!_

"Do the moonwalk, baby!"

The few ponies in the audience clapped, as Nightshade finished his last song. The Bright Valley auditorium was as empty today, as it was for all of the young pony's performances. It was disheartening to the white earth colt, that only two ponies consistently came to hear him sing. Still he appreciated their devotion to him, and returned the gentle love they felt for them.

"Yaaay, Nightshade. woo hoo!" Bow Tie cheered, running up to the singer with the blue pompadour mane. "You were great!"

"Thanks, Bowtie!" He replied, nuzzling his girlfriend. There was no filly he cared for more in all of Ponyland.

"Well, done, son!" A yellow mare with a grey mane trotted up. "You're still the best singer in all of Ponyland!"

"Aw gee, thanks, mom!" The pony in the blue letter jacket smiled, happy for his only living parent's support.

As the three of them left the nearly empty arena, Nightshade looked around his hometown of Bright Valley, and sighed. This was the best place in the Confederacy to become a star, and there was nothing more that the young earth colt desired to do than become a singer! But no matter how much he practiced, no matter how much he sang in his high school choir, no matter how many lessons he took from expensive stallion tutors... Nightshade just couldn't seem to draw in the fans!

"Well, I've got to go meet the other girls at the Powder Puff spa!" Bow Tie announced, nuzzling her boyfriend again, before galloping off. "See ya later, baby!"

"Bye, Bow Tie!" He smiled at her, as she galloped away. "See you tomorrow!"

"And I need to be going, too. Supper won't be making itself!" His mother turned down the street that led to the house the two lived in. "Make sure you're home by eight!"

"Later mom! I'll be home before the food gets cold!" After the two had left, the pony singer sighed, and trotted down the street.

_"This is just great!"_ He thought to himself, snorting out loud. _"I can't even get a decent gig that pays! What am I gonna do?"_

The son of the foreman pony at Bright Valley's steel mill. Nightshade had grown up in decent , middle class surroundings. He had always admired the stallion entertainers on television- the rock 'n roll rebels that everyone thought was cool, and could turn everypony's heads. As his teachers in school had seen he was musically inclined, they prepared him for a career in the entertainment business. But when it came to actually draw a paying crowd in to listen to his songs, the handsome young colt just seemed to keep coming up short!

Passing the Atsa-Mata bistro, Nightshade looked though the window at the ponies eating inside. Bow Tie loved it when they always came here for their dates every weekend. Slurping down spaghetti noodles together, and gazing into each others eyes over a candlelit table in the darkened dinner. Oh, what fun times they had had! But with high school graduation soon upon them, Nightshade feared he might have to be in that Bistro as an employee soon, serving up the spaghetti, just to make ends meet. How could he ask Bow Tie to stay with such a low-class stallion?

Walking further down the street, Nightshade passed several parked cars, their sleek chrome plating and shining hubcaps glistening in the sun. He had wanted to buy his mother a new mustang when his career took off, to replace that broken down old model P she went get groceries in. But the way his career prospects were going, he's be lucky if he could buy her a toy car!

His poor mother... she had endured so much. She had had to watch Nightshade's father - her husband- come back from that dingy old factory night after night. His hooves chipped and dirty, his mane and filthy coat all soaked with sweat. His father had sacrificed so much for nightshade and his mother's happiness, and what was his reward for it?

The white colt remembered the night a year ago, when the factory owner- a grey stallion in a tweed suit- had come to tell them there had been an accident. His kind and dear father, crushed like a grape by the factory gears when he tried to save another stallion's life. The factory paid for the closed casket funeral, but Nightshade and his mother were barely able to get by on the meager few bits that were the old stallion's pension.

_"Oh, what am I to do?!"_ He thought to himself, as he stopped and stared at the Statue of Pinkie Pie- the town's patron saint pony- in the village square. _"You were always the mistress of pony celebrations and laughter, the pony who could randomly burst into song! What in the world can I do to help my loved ones?"_

"Would y'all happen to be Nightshade, the famous pony performer?" An oily voice hissed behind him, causing the teenage colt to spin around.

"Yeah?" Nightshade snorted, looking behind him. "Who wants to know?"

"Name's Zeb, son! Ponyland talent agent extraordinaire!" A slimy looking zebra in a polyester suit and sunglasses hissed. "I heard you perform back there, son, and I think you've gotta voice that's outta sight!"

"Thanks... but what do you want with me?" He asked suspiciously.

Zeb just chuckled. "Son, I have a plan that'll make the both of us very, very _rich..._"

...

_"Grrr, why'd I have to miss the bus again?"_

_It was raining outside the 13th precient Bright Valley elementary school, and a nine year old Nightshade was rushing to get to. The frustrated foal covered his heard with his book bag, and Cursed under is breath as he dashed away from his house. But about a few feet away from the school entrance, Nightshade head a strange sound, coming from behind the building._

_"Waaaaaaaaah!" A sad, plaintive cry went up from the playground. Galloping back, the young foal found a little blue earth filly, sitting underneath the sliding board, and sobbing._

_"Hey there little pony!" He called out, trotting up beside her. "Why ya so glum?"_

_"No-nobody wants to play with me!" She sobbed, burying her eyes in her hooves. "And they left me all alone out here!"_

_"That's not cool!" He exclaimed. "Not cool at all! What's your name, little pony?"_

_"B-Bowtie, she replied, looking up at him. "Bowtie Lace."_

_Nightshade could see the filly was only a year younger than himself. "My name Nightshade, and I'd love ta play with ya!"_

_"Really?" She asked, drying her tears, and looking up at him._

_"Sure, little pony!" He thought for a moment, then tore a strip of cloth off of his jacket and tied it into a bow in her mane. "Here you go, little pony! A Bowtie for Bowtie!"_

_"Yaaay! You're a nice colt!" THe little filly whinnied with joy, nuzzling him._

_Together, the two little ponies went into the school, and out of the rain._

...

"Hello, girls!" Bowtie called out cheerfully, trotting into the Perfume Puff beauty spa. "How are ya doin today?"

"Bow Tie, darling!" Dainty Dahlia, a white earth mare with a pink mane, pulled up a chair for her. "So good to see you!"

"Hello, dear!" Daisy Sweet, a blue mare with a yellow mane, greeted her. "The usual today?"

As always!" She grinned, shaking out her pink mane, and lying back in the chair. "And make sure ta give me lotsa ribbons!"

"Good grief, cousin!" Lavender Lace, a female Pegasus in charge of the other two, stepped out of the back. "You sure do love your hair ribbons!"

The blue filly smiled as lavender came into the room. Bow Tie's cousin, this mare was one of the few winged ponies ever born in Bright Valley... and face a lot of prejudice, because of it!

"A very special somebody gave me my first ribbon, and he loves seeing me in them!" She replied, as Daisy Sweet began working on her mane. "Besides, they make me look even cuter!"

"Speakin of that crazy colt," Dainty Dahlia inquired, as she began manicuring Bow Tie's hoof. "Has that little rascal proposed to you yet?"

"What? No!" Bow Tie snorted, as Lavender Lace put two cucumbers over her eyes. "We're just graduating this month! Besides, he wants his career to take of first, before we think of marriage!"

"Career, huh?" The Pegasus looked skeptical. "When is that boy with the purple pompadour gonna get himself a job, hm?"

"Hey, don't be so hard on him, girls!" Bow Tie snorted, as Lavender began to massage her back. "You don't know that colt like I do...

...

_"Mama, Papa... this is Nightshade!" She gestured to the two adult ponies. "Nightshade, these are my parents!" _

_After they had been dating a few months, Bow Tie had invited the now-fourteen year old Nightshade home to meet her parents. Needless to say, Nightshade was less than excited about the prospect!_

_"H-hello, Mister and Missus Lace!" He whinnied nervously, scratching the back of his head with his hoof. "Nice to meet you both!"_

_"A pleasure to meet you dear!" Satin n' Lace, a lavender mare with a pink mane, greeted him. "I hope you'll be able to stay with us for dinner!"_

_"Pleasure to meet you, son!" Shoe Lace, the brown stallion who was her father, shook his hoof vigorously. "Would you like to come up and tour the Cliff guns above the city? I am the captain of the guard, you know!"_

_They enjoyed a wonderful dinner together, then Nightshade and Bowtie went upstairs, to look out the attic window together._

_"You really want to be a singer, don't you, Nightshade?" She cocked her head curiously._

_"Very much so!" The singing pony agreed. "It's always been my dream to be a great singer!"_

_"Sing a song about me, Nightshade!" She asked, leaning her head against him._

_The colt thought for a moment, then began to sing;_  
_"Spell a pony's name for me_

_B-O-W T-I-E!_

_It's Bowtie! My Bowtie!_

_And my Bow-Tie_

_is the prettiest little pony of them all!"_

...

"Oh NO!" Bow Tie whinnied in terror. "What in the world is going on?"

It was evening the next day, when Bow Tie came galloping back towards town in a hurry. She had been outside gathering mushrooms, when the bule filly had heard several screams coming from the city, and a dark cloud slowly spreading over all of Bright Valley.

As she approached the bridge leading into town, Bow Tie saw the three powder puffs feeling towards her.

"Girls! What's going on?" She called out, as the three mares stopped to answer her.

"Bow Tie! Run for your Life!" Dainty Dahlia yelled, almost out of breath. "The town's been overrun by fakies!"

"Z-zombie ponies!?" Bow Tie's eyes went wide. "Princess Silver Swirl! The gun batteries-!"

"The princess escaped with her guards, they're making for sanctuary in fort Rainbow Dash!" Daisy Sweet replied, looking back over her shoulder. " Your father locked down the gun battery vaults, right before they..." She looked down. "I'm so sorry, Bow Tie."

"So sorry about what? Where's my father?" She looked up at Lavender Lace, who was flapping overhead. "Lavender, where's Nightshade?"

"It's Arabus, Bow Tie." The Pegasus told her without hesitation. "He turned to townsfolk into fakies by stealing their shadows. "

"What? Arabus?" Bow Tie screamed incredulously. "That old fairy tale of the shadow stealing genie sealed under the town?!"

"Yes! He's using music to distract them, while he steals their shadows..." Dainty Dahlia's eyes were tearing up. "...and Nightshade was helping them do it!"

"No..." Bow Tie's eyes went wide, and tears started to form. "That's a lie! You're LYING!"

"I wish we were, Bow Tie... but we saw him!" Daisy Sweet replied, as the three turned to gallop away. "You'd better run, while you still can!"

Bow Tie turned back to the bridge, where she saw Nightshade standing, staring at her.

"Oh, Nightshade, thank the horsemaster you're safe!" Bow Tie cried out in relief. "C'mon, we've got to get out of here before..."

She stopped suddenly, a shiver sent up her spine by the cold, icy stare coming from the pony she loved.

"Nightshade?" She whimpered, her lower lip trabling as she started to cry. "Nightshade what's wrong?"

Suddenly, a mare and a colt came up from behind the pony singer, an empty look in their eyes. Drool leaked from the stallion's mouth, While the mare growled like a savage animal. The two were fakie zombies, to be sure. But they were also ponies that Bow Tie knew well.

"Mama..." She whimpered, a lump forming in her throat. "Papa..."

"Take her alive." Nightshade snorted, scowling at the filly in contempt. "Arabus will want her shadow to feast upon!"

"NO!" The filly howled in anguish. She kicked the two fakies that had wants been her parents away as they lunged at her, and galloped away from bright valley at top speed.

"I HATE YOU NIGHTSHADE!" She howled to the uncaring wind. "I'LL HATE YOU FOREVER!"

As she ran, she toreout of her mane the ribbon that had been a gift so long ago, and let it fall behind her. Away the filly ran, tears streaming down her face, as she left Bright Valley- and the only colt she had ever loved- behind her forever.

_"Spell a pony's name for me_

_B-O-W T-I-E!_

_It's Bowtie! My Bowtie!_

_And my Bow-Tie_

_is the prettiest little pony of them all!"_


	10. Chapter 10

_"The end of the game"_

_"Twilight, whatever in the world is wrong?" The princess trotted up, asking the little foal who had only recently become her student._

_The little filly was in tears, crying over a picture of an elderly pony "My momma send me a message. She told me grandpa has gone away, and he's not coming back!" She sobbed, running over and clinging to the princess's hoof._

_"There there, little one." She lowered a comforting wing onto Twilight. "It'll be all right!"_

_"Are my paernts gonna leave me?" The little filly sobbed, looking up at Celestia. "Are you gonna leave me, too?"_

_"Child, I promise you." She wrapped her wings around the filly. "One thing you can be certain of, is that I will never leave you!"_

...

_Equestria, three hundred years after the age of the harmony bearers._

Celestia, the ancient and venerable Princess of the alicorns, felt old.

Not that she looked a day over thirty mind you, but in truth she had seen twenty two centuries come and go. She had seen both friends and family come and go over the ages, and the princess had discovered that even she could ge weary of the world.

_"Oh, Twilight... how I wish I could see you again."_ She thought to herself with a sigh. _"It's been so long since I've seen a friendship report, I almost miss all of the chos you and your friends once caused!"_

Raising her horn to the sky, she brought the sun in the sky down for the night, as she had a had a thousand times before, then turned to head back to her room for a night's slumber.

...

"Attention visitors, the time is now six fotry five, and the Canterlot royal palace and gardens are closed for the day! We'd like to thank everypony for being our guest today, and wish all of you a happy and safe journey home!"

As the voice blared over the loudspeaker, and all of the pony tour and school groups that had come to see the Canterlot royal statue gardens shuffled out of the gate, past the two security ponies who shut and locked the iron portal behind them. As all the employees and staff clocked out for the night and headed back into Canterlot city, few gave any thought to the grounds and garden they had left behind. After, who was going to bother with a bunch of dusty old statues anyway?

It was after the sun had finally set, that a lone, shadowy pony materialized out of nothingness. This cloaked figure made his way over to the silent, still statue of a Draconequuis that stood off by itself in the garden. The pony sized shape under a brown cloak approached the mismatched jumble of many creatures, and looked over the unmoving figure of Discord.

"For three centuries, trickster, you have slumbered!" The shadowy form rumbled in a deep voice. "I command you now... awaken!"

The stone began to slowly crack and peel away, as sinister laugh rippled outward from the crumbling stone. The chaotic form beneath burst forth, like a butterfly newly freed from it's cocoon.

"I am free!" He bellowed with laugher, stretching his arms to the sky. "Free to reign chaos upon Celestia's precious little kingdom once more!"

"Yes, free thanks to me." The small form in the cloak hissed. "You will now spread your richly desired chaos at my bidding!"

"Sorry, but I don't work for others, especially not ponies!" He flew down, and stared into the black void that was the opening in the strangers cloak. "But as a reward for freeing me, you can take my place on that pedestal!"

Smiling, the lord of chaos snapped his fingers... and nothing happened.

"What in the world?" He gazed at his claw. "Why isn't this thing working?!"

There were few times the lord of Chaos had not been able to bend reality to his will , and this was one of them. As the confused draconequuis looked back at his 'liberator'.

The cloak had been cast aside, and a large, red and black figure stood towering over the lord of chaos. It was a horned centaur that stood before him, Discord recognized that much- but a dark void seemed to surround him- a bubble that seemed to force even his reality altering powers away from the creature.

"I am Tirek, master of Midnight Castle, and lord of the rainbow of darkness!" His mighty voice bellowed. "You, Discord, are already well aware of what I can do!"

Even though he had never met this creature before, he was well aware of what the centaur was talking about. This Tirek did not radiate chaos... oh no! This abomination reeked of raw, unadulterated _evil_. Wheras Discord fed off the power of a orange juice rain and birds flying backwards, Discord felt this being feed off betrayal, and slaughter, of screaming children and horrific nightmares.

For the first time in his long existance, the lord of chaos felt _fear_ . The power of the unspeakable horror that lay beyond the Tartarus gate radiated from this one, as he was a vessel of that terrible power. And while that power could not shape reality like his chaos could, was a power greater than his. A power that could easily slay him, should this Tirek wish it so.

"O-of couse, my lord." The draconequuis tried to stifle his fear. "What can I do for you?"

"Merely spread the chaos that you so richly desire!" The great beast bellowed again. "That is the only price I ask for your freedom!"

...

Princess Celestia awoke the sound of a rooster gargling, and a bird meowing in her ear.

"Ugh!" The princess groaned, slowly opening her eyes. "What in the-"

Madness was the only word that described what was before her... sheer and utter madness! The ceiling to her room was gone, the clouds in the sky were scoops of chocolate ice cream, and a pair of feathery wings with no bird attached flew by. Immediately, the princess knew what was going on.

"DISCORD!" The angry mare roared, bursting out into the main hall. "Where are you, you malevolent mischief maker!"

"Right here!" The laughing draconequuis was sitting on Celestia own throne, drinking a glass of cider, surrounded by a bunch of royal guards who were jumping around and barking like dogs. "It's soooo good to see you again after three centuries! Though to us immortals, I suppose that's only like... what? Five minutes?"

"How did you get free?!" Celestia demanded. "The sealing this time should have lasted at least a millennium!"

"Let's just say I had a little benefactor who sprung me early!" The villain chuckled. "And look! I even got you a gift for my return!"

Discord pointed towards the base of the throne, where Celestia saw there as the stone statue of a an alicorn, her face frozen in fear. At first, the princess assumed it was just some more of Discord's chaotic re-decorating. But upon looking at the statue more carefully, the princess made a horrific discovery.

"Sister!" Celestia cried out, looking back to Discord in anger. "What have you DONE?!"

"You know, I finally decided to try putting ponies in stone!" Discord burst out laughing. "I must say, I can see why you enjoyed doing it to me! The sheer look of terror on their faces, frozen like a beautiful work of art!"

Immediately, the princess galloped for the door, but discord snapped his fingers and in vanished, leaving a blank wall.

"There's nowhere important for you to go, anyway!" The trickster chuckled wildly. "If you're going to look for some new harmony bearers in a hurry, don't bother! I already scoured Equestria for all of the potential candidates while you slept, and they're already here!"

Discord pointed over at the far wall, where Celestia's gaze met a most gruesome sight. Row after row of gpony heads, mounted on plaques as trophies, lined the walls. There might have been two to three hundred of them, but Celestia was too sickened to actually count.

"T-this is a trick. An effect of your chaos powers." Celestia whinnied in horror. "As soon as you're put back in stone, my subjects will go back to normal!"

"Not this time, my dear Celestia! I learned a bit from the tactics of my benefactor!" The draconequuis chuckled. "I couldn't risk any of these ponies mastering the elements, and sealing me back up again. I want this game to last a bit longer than our last one!"

"A game... is that all this has been to you?" Celestia looked up at Discord's poor victims, then closed her eyes. "These poor ponies, all of the others you've tortured for your sick entertainment. You've wrecked many lives in the name of your sick fun!"

"They were only mortals, Celestia." Discord scoffed. "You act as if their lives actually meant something."

"You want to play games, monster?" Celestia turned back to face him, her eyes glowing. "Well, you're about to play your last hand!"

The glow soon covered her whole body, then moved up to her horn, the entire castle seemed to shake, under the power she was gathering in one, small area.

"Celeastia, wait..." Discord looked up at her, his eyes going wide. "Celestia, what are you doing?!"

"The game is over, Discord!" She snarled, looking angrier than the trickster had ever seen her. "You'll never hurt another pony again!"

For a moment, the princess thought of Twilight Sparkle. She thought of her sister, and all of the family she had lost... and all the family she was leaving behind.

Then, she unleashed her power.

Her soul... her being... her very life force poured out from her horn, and tore out across the room. it tore towards Discord, causing the draconquuis to recoil in horror.

"No! It can't end like this!" He wailed in terror. "I don't wanna stop playing! I don't wanna-!"

FZASH! The white hot light from the wave hit him... and he was gone. Not frozen in stone, not sealed away in a magic slumber. Discord, the trickster lord of chaos, was disintegrated. His death howl tearing throughout the castle. There was only a small, disgusting stain on the floor where he had stood only a moment before.

The wave continued outward, washing over and healing an Equestria in chaos. But as the wave spread across the sky, the burning rays of Celestia's sun fizzled out. A much brighter sun came up over the horizon, and moved across the heavens of it's own volition. All across the landscape, ponies who were battering their heads against walls, or running from crazed wombats, suddenly found themselves back at their normal lives. But they would soon discover that their lives had changed, and things would never be the same again.

"Oh my word, what dideth just occur!?" Princess Luna found she could move again, and looked around at a bunch of confused guards in the throne room. "The last thing I doth remember I was-"SISTER!

The alicorn princess stopped dead, when she saw the unmoving form of Celestia, lying on the throne room floor.

"Sister, art thou hurt? What did happen to..." She trailed off as she saw that Celestia wasn't breathing. "S-sister?"

...

_Celestia trotted on into the light, not even hesitating or looking back. she heard the sadness and sorrow of a passing behind her, but she assumed it was only an echo._

_"About time you got here, you highness!" The unicorn pouted, pushing out her bottom lip. And this from the pony who said she'd never leave me!"_

_"To be fair, you're the one who left me!" The alicorn retorted. "Though I am happy to see you again!"_

_"Come on, Celestia! I have so much to show you here!" The unicorn mare, now looking as she had in her prime, trotted beside her teacher._

_"Calm yourself, my faithful student." She smiled, as they trotted into the light together. "We have all the time in the world."_


	11. Chapter 11

**Archivist's note; the following text is set in the aftermath of the events of the destruction of Paradise estate, chronicled in "Twilight then, Twilight now". This text is not recommended for the faint of heart, or the weak of stomach.**

Tornado Firehooves

_Paradise Lost_

As I return to consciousness, I hear the soft crackle of flames coming from behind me. Pain shoots through my entire body as I return to the waking world, and I can taste my own blood in my mouth. Wearily, I open my eyes, and it is only slowly that my blurred vision adjusts to the dim light around me.

"Ohhhh..." I let out a small groan, as I try and pull myself back to my hooves. As I stand, I feel several cracked ribs in my chest, and a broken wing drags lifeless at my side. I have never felt pain like this before, as it feels as if my whole body is on fire. But in spite of the pain, I press on, determined not to fall prey to my agony.

"Oh my Horsemaster..." I gasp out breathlessly, looking at the carnage around me for the first time. Paradise Estate is in ruins, the walls reduced to rubble, the ceiling collapsed in on itself. The once happy mansion where my friends and I all dwelled, has been reduced to a pile of still-burning ash.

"What-what happen-" I wonder aloud, and it all comes back to me in a rush- the goblin and strydon attack, the ponies running and fleeing in terror. My eyes go wide in a panic, as my thoughts immediately turn to my friends.

"IS ANYBODY OUT THERE?!" I Cry out desperately, dragging myself along on my three still-functioning legs. I can feel all of the slashes and scratches on my once-lovely white coat, my palm tree cutie mark scarred beyond recognition. I search frantically around for any sign of life... but I quickly wished I had not done so.

"NO! LOFTYYYYYYY!" I shriek, sobbing as my eyes settled on the motionless body of Lofty. The corpse is so charred and mangled, I can only identify her by the sight of her hot air balloon cutie mark. The cruel monsters even sheared her wings off before putting her out of her misery.

"Oh, Lofty... why..." I weep, remembering the dear friend I used to fly the skies of Ponyland with. _"C'mon, ya slowpoke, Try ta keep up! Aw, can't you fly any faster than that?"_ I weep bitterly, despairing at the though that I would never see this kind, gentle pony fly through the skies ever again. The thought of what those monsters had done to her, is more than this mare can bare. Realizing there might be other survivors who need help, I look away, and close my heart to the pain and sorrow that threatens to overtake it.

How could we have been so foolish, to think we were safe out here? When Truly led us all away from Dream Castle, all of us ponies thought we were staking out a new claim of freedom here! A new home, away from the Tryrannical rule of queen Majesty! Little did we realize we had left ourselves vulnerable.

"Is there anyone there?!" I call out desperately, my eyes scanning the wreckage for any sign of life. "Anyone at all?!"

But no answer comes, save for the howling wind. There's no one out here... this place is only filled with death.

This wasn't supposed to happen, my mind reasons. In all the fairy tales I've read, the hero always manages to save the innocents at precisely the right moment, and thus bring about a right and proper happy ending. The villains aren't supposed to come in, and slaughter the innocent villagers! That's what the heroes in fairy tales existed to prevent!

Yet no hero came forth when Paradise Estate needed it the most, no champion with a white knight on his back came galloping to our rescue. The villains won the day, and we were the losers. It seems all of those ponies who called me gullible and laughed at me had a point. And yet, even after all that has happened, I still have not given up believing in fairy tales. Perhaps, it's just a weakness of my cutie mark.

I continue limping around, and trying to ignore the blood trickling down in my face. To my right, I ignore the lifeless form of Magic Star, the earth pony's body stuck with more sharp arrows than a pin cushion. And to my left, I avert my gaze from Cupcake, whom the Troggles must have gutted like a fish. I want to scream my sorrows to the wind... I want to fall to my knees, and cry for the dear friends I have lost forever.

But there may be Troggles lurking around here still, and I'd bet Ali Baba and all of his forty thieves that they'd still love to skewer any pony they could find. No, best to wait until it was safe to weep for the dead, and get myself as far away from here as possible.

I stumble out past the swimming pool, now all filled with rubble, and remember all the fun times we had swimming there. I pass what was once the kitchen, and wince at the memory of helping Cupcake baking a cake to take to the Flutterponies. And as I limp past what had once been the living room, I can recall reading the baby ponies bedtimes stories from my favorite books.

How did it all go so wrong? The question will not let my mind go, as I try to pull myself out of this death trap. All I can think about are the angry sentiments, that first led us out here...

_"It's settled than!" A voice snorted in a southern accent. "We need ta lead the Mares away from this heyah castle, so that the heard cain live free o' tyranny!"_

_"But wait, can't we all just talk to the queen, Truly?" A reluctant Lofty whinnied hopefully. "Surely, she will listen to our grievances, and-"_

_"Haven't you been listening, you featherbrain?" Magic Star snorted. "You can't reason with a tyrant! We need to flee from this oppression!"_

_"Oh, but why do we have to leave Twilight, Firefly, and all of the others here?" Cupcake asked sadly, thinking of her friends. "I shall miss than all so!"_

_"They're all stooges of the queen, and would turn on us at the swish of ah Tail!" Truly relied angrily. "Only bah leavin' the dead weight behind, cain we trot onward tah freedom!"_

Oh, how I wish I could go back and smack that old nag for that! I cannot believe I supported her traitorous actions, and all for having the estate named after me! As I trot out past the now mangled gate, I see the mutilated carcass of a beheaded mare strung high over what had once been the entrance.

"Good riddance, Truly!" I yell up at the mangled form. "My only regret is you had to take so many ponies with you into your madness!" I spit at the remains, before trotting out and away from the estate for the last time.

Still, I cannot say all of my time at Paradise Estate were all bad. There were many fond memories there, many happy memories. I will always cherish the laughter, the friendships, and the memories I experienced behind those pink gates. And even though the estate that bears my name will from this day forward be but a fond nostalgic memory, I will cherish those times, throughout all the days of my life!

As I trot onward, I can feel the red life fluid draining more and more out of my fragile frame. When I had been running from the beasts that had invaded our home, I jumped out a broken window to escape. The shards of glass are still embedded in my stomach, and every movement I make seems to bury them in deeper.

Though the pain and the blood, I can feel my mind becoming hazier and hazier. The tears I lets the tears flow for dear friends, whose brutal deaths seems so meaningless, so _pointless_! Oh, how I wish I could go back ,and stop my friends from being tricked by Truly's words, and leaving the safe haven of Dream Castle's walls, to find their own destruction! Oh, my queen, I am so sorry we betrayed you! Even up until the end, when you sent galaxy and the others to bring us home, I still rejected your forgiveness, in favor of my stubborn pride!

I can feel a gradual weakness creeping over me, as the blood loss is finally getting to my ravaged body. I am only several hundred yards away from the ruins, when I collapse by the flowing waters of a clear stream. As I gaze upon my refection, I remember another time, when everything was so much simpler. I was only a little filly then...

_"Twilight, come quick!" I yelled, galloping into her room. "My mom gave me a new fairy tale to read!"_

_"Really?" My pink unicorn friend asked me, levitating the book out of my satchel. "What is it this time? The Swan Princess? Jack and the beanstalk?"_

_"It's about a little colt and filly, who get lost in a woods, where and evil witch wants to gobble them up!" I tell her excitedly. The two of us sprawled out on her bed together, and started reading the book._

Twilight Shine... my best and dearest friend in all of the world. We were so very close, as my special talent was reading, writing and telling fairy stories, and hers was magic through wishing. We loved whiling away the hours, reading about handsome princes and magical spells. We always dreamed of the day a stallion in shining armor would sweep each of us off of our hooves. But we were only little fillies then, and adulthood only brought us pain...

_"No... please don't leave me..." Twilight begged me, tears in her eyes. "We've always been friends, you're like my sister!"_

_"Oh yeah? Was I like your sister when you stopped spending time with me, and started hanging out with your 'harmony bearer' friends?!" I snorted angrily. "Was I like your sister when you went and married that unicorn stallion, without even discussing it with your best friend? He's no handsome prince, Twilight! His face looks like a mule stomped on it!"_

_"Please... please don't go with Truly!" she pleaded one final time. "Stay here at the castle, where you'll be safe!"_

_"Go flank yourself, Twilight!" I spat, galloping away from Dream Castle's drawbridge. "If you think we ever were friends, then you really were living in a fairy tale!"_

Twilight... my sister in all but blood. I would take back those mean words I spoke at the drawbridge that day, and try my best to make up for the way I acted. How I wished I had stayed there at the castle with you, where we could be sitting and reading all the fairy tales in the library still. As I lay here, the life ebbing away from me, I hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me somehow. I hope one day you will read all the fairy takes we shared, to your own little filly.

The wind is getting cold now, and it's getting harder and harder for me to form a coherent thought anymore. I can't feel the pain from the shards of broken glass that cut me open anymore, and I close my tried eyes as a warm light washes over me. As the world around me fades away, I swear I can her the sound of wings and Pegasus guard armor approaching the spot where I lay. All I know is, the future looks so filled with _light_ ...


	12. Chapter 12

_Where ponies fear to trot... (part 1)_

It was in the early evening, as a reddish-colored sun set over the rolling hills of Ponyland. The various towers and citadels throughout the land, shuttered their windows and barred their doors, hoping to keeep the restless forces of the darkness at bay. For while there were in Ponyland many nights which one did not want to be out and about in, this dark and sinister night was the worst of them all.

There was another time, long ago, when this night of nightmares had been one where ponies actually _enjoyed_ being scared. It was on this night, that poines embraced and celebrated all of the things that frightened them, under an open and starry sky. Those days were long over with , however. And the horrors that dwealt out in the darkness of this night were far more terrifying than anything the wildest of imaginations could conjure up.

Within the safe and secure walls of Dream Castle, the Halloween celebrations were well under way. Lit jack-o-lanterns were on every tabletop, their mischievous grins aglow with an inner light. The sound of music and laughter eminated from the ballroom, where ponies in costume danced the night away, and the cider flowed freely.

Groups of young fillies and colts, dressed in various costumes, went from apartment to apartment inside the castle, gathering sweets in bags and pails. The rooms and hallways were bathed in the glow of torchlight, as adult ponies in costumes handed out sweet treats.

"Come on girls, we still need to hit Cheerilee's Place!" Surprise, who was dressed as a clown with a big rubber nose, snorted to the fillies with her. "We need ta get as many sweets as we can before midinght!"

"Let's go to Cheerilee's place next!" Baby Gusty exclaimed, pushing up the brim of her witch's hat. "This is her first Halloween here, and I wanna see what she's gonna give us!"

"Yeah! And I wanna see her costume, too!" Baby Half Note chimed in, hopping around in her ballerina's tutu. "Maybe she's dressed as a fakie zombie!"

"Whatever she's dressed as, I hope it's not too scary!" Baby Shady whimpered, trying to hide her face under her fairy princess's costume. "That skeleton costume galaxy was wearing was _scary_!"

"Aw, c'mon! That was really cool how she made part of herself invisible, so only her skeleton showed!" The white Pegasus chuckled. "Now shhh! We're here!"

The mare knocked on the door, as she and the fillies opened their treat bags and held them out. The door suddenly clicked, and swung open with a creak.

"Trick or Treat! Smell my-" The ponies suddenly stopped, puzzled that nobody was standing there.

"W-where's Cheerilee?" Baby Shady asked looking around inside.

"Ahhhhhhhh! PONY BLOOD!" Cheerilee hissed, suddenly popping up in the doorway with fangs and a spread black cape. "I zo vanted to have a bite tonight!"

"AHHHHHHHH!" All four of the girls screamed, before three of them fell back laughing.

"Wow! Great Costume, Miss Cheerilee!" Baby Gusty exclaimed. "Vampires are awesome!"

"Yeah, really cool how ya scared us!" Surprise added, pulling herself back up on her hooves.

"Thank you, girls!" The pink teacher in pigtails smiled. "But aren't you a little too old for this, Surprise?"

"What? And miss out on the cool costumes and getting scared?" At that, all of the other ponies stared at her. "What?It's not for the candy! Sugar makes me hyper!"

"Anyway, I have some chocolate bars here for you!" She tossed three Filly Ruth bars into their bags. "Happy Nightmare Night, girls!"

"That's happy Halloween, Miss Cheerilee!" Baby Half Note corrected her. "though this night can give me nightmares!"

"Hey Baby Shady, don't you want any candy?" Baby Gusty asked, looking when there was no response. "Baby Shady?"

The pink earth filly had passed out, frightened by the sudden appearence of vampire Cheerilee.

"Oh dear..." Cheerilee exclaimed, staring down at the twitching pony child. "Are you all right, Baby Shady?"

"HA! Way ta go, Cheerilee!" Surprise giggled, falling backwards with laughter. "You got that little fraidy cat GOOD!"

...

As the little fillies and colts were busy with the trick-or-treating, many of the adult ponies had gathered in Dream Castle indoor theater for a diffrent sort of Halloween entertainment. Many of them were gossiping among themselves, as they waited for the show to begin.

From the royal box in the Balcony, queen majesty signaled the stagehands for the show to begin. As the lights dimmed and the curtains opened, an orange unicorn with a tambourine cutie mark trotted up onto the stage.

"Hello zere, darlinks!" The veiled mare with a coin belt around her waist whinnied in a sultry tone. "In ziz magical und myzerterious realm of Ponyland, zere are many strange ztories und frightening ledegends! Tonight, I, zee zpectakular Gypsy, vill now relate to you von zuch tale!"

The lovely mare leapt across the stage in circular arcs, banging her levitated tambourine with her hoof. Every mare in the theatre admired her graceful and acrobatic dancing... while every stallion admired her swaying and shifting hips.

"Var, var to zee north of Dream valley, nestled deep vithin zee Vispering woods, lies zee village of Hollow Shades!" She smacked her tambourine. "In de golden age of Eqvestria, ziz little town vas already a creepy place, but in de zenturies zat followed, it became a dangerous und voreboding place, avoided even by zee goblins und vitches!"

"In ziz old vorld of ours, most ponies who have died cross over zee great barrier to zee other zide. Ze good und just go to zhier reward in zee great horsemater's stable, vile zee wicked go to join zee unspeakable evil beyond zee gates of Tartarus!" She leapt in the air and spun, before shaking her tambourine again. "But zhere are zhose who are in a limbo betveen life und death... ponies who had unvinished business, or just aren't ready to end zee party yet!"

As the audience sat spellbound, Gypsy narrowed her eyes. "It is zaid zeez spirts gazer at zee sight of Hollow Shades every Halloween night, to zelebrate az zee living do, behind zee zaftey of zhier valls! But... it is alzo zaid zhat a trio of ponies- a brave heroine, a coward, und an idiot- may approach zee zight of Hollow Shades, and see the wonderous sight of zee dead dancing in zhee moonlight!"

Gypsy suddenly burst into song, grecfully dacing and jangling her insturment, as she wove a tale of spookiness and shadows. But as the unicorn mare continued, three mares slipped from the hall unnoticed, and quietly trotted their way towards the castle's drawbridge.

...

"Ohhh, what're we doing out here, Gusty?" Shady wailed, as she and Fizzy followed the white unicorn deeper into the woods. "It's really dangerous out here, and I'm really scared!"

"Shady's right!" Fizzy added, her usual bubbly and carefree tone sounding subdued. "I'd rather be back at the party, bobbing for some of Applejack's apples!"

"Don't you guys wanna see a ghost? That's what we came out here for in the first place!" Gusty snorted. "Honestly Fizzy, listening to you two's whiny voices is givin' me a headache!"

"So says the pony, who has a voice like Bart Simpson when she talks!" The Blue unicorn snapped back, referring to the human world TV character Megan had shown them. "At least we don't sound like our noses are stuffed up when we whine!"

"Eat my shorts, guys!" Gusty yelled back angrily. "Look, I wouldn't a dragged you two along, if Gypsy hadn't said I needed a coward and an idiot with me to see the ghosts at Hollow Shades!"

"W-well, I understand why you dragged me along then." The pink earth pony shivered. "But why bring poor Fizzy out here?"

"Hey Fizz!" Shady yelled back at the unicorn. "How does that little light in the back of the fridge turn off and on?"

"Ohhh, that's easy!" The mare with the pink and green striped mane giggled. "A little man turns the light on and off when you open and shut the fridge... though I haven't been able to catch him yet!"

"That should answer your question." The unicorn with the green and pink striped mane replied, before trotting ahead.

The three of them continued along the path, quickly leaving Dream Valley behind them, and approaching the towering trees of the whispering woods. The clouds seemed to blot out the moon as they hurried along, and a chilly wind started to pick up, whipping through their manes.

"That does it, Gusty!" Shady whinnied, shivering. "I've have enough of this scar stuff! I'm going home!"

It was at that point, that the distorted sounds of a young filly's laughter echoed through the branches, carried on the back of the wind. As the three mares turned to face the way they came, they began to hear soft, excited voices.

_"Look girls! It's three mares with their cutie marks!"_ The first voice whinnied, sounding close and at the same time, far away. .

_"That earth pony has a pair a sunglasses on her flank!"_ Another distorted voice giggled. _"And that blue one has some milkshakes on hers!"_

"G-gusty..." A wide-eyed Fizzy gasped, her eyes wide in terror. "Who... who said that?"

Shady, scared out of her wits and unable to speak, was on the verge of hyperventilating,

_"Ah know! Let's go see they cain halp us get our cutie marks!"_ A third voice finished, speaking in a southern accent.

At that exact moment, three small, translucent shapes emerged on the path behind them. The three mares could immediately tell they were fillies- unicorn, a Pegasus, and an earth pony, from the looks of it. But the one small detail that made the hair on the back of their manes stand on end... was the fact that they radiated a slight glow, and the three mares _could see right through them!_

The heads of the three transparent fillies spun around to face the mares, and the small trio suddenly began galloping right towards them!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! It's the ghosts! " Gusty yelled to the other two screaming mares. "Guys, run for your life!"

The three terrified ponies tore off down the path in a run, as the laughter of three chilling apparitions from beyond the grave followed closely behind...


	13. Chapter 13

_Where ponies fear to trot... (part 2)_

"Faster, girls, faster!" Gusty screamed, galloping as swiftly as her hooves would carry her. "They're gaining on us!"

The three of them were tearing along through the forest, the three specters in hot pursuit. They had been running for nearly ten minutes, when some lights began to appear in the distance.

"Look, Gusty!" Fizzy called out, gasping for air. "I think I see a town up ahead!"

"There it is!" Shady agreed, looking ahead. "Ohhh, I don't think I can make it!"

"Just a little farther, Shady!" Gusty called out. "I head ghosts can't follow you into a living town! You can do it!"

The three ran ahead with all of their might, making it just inside the town limits, before collapsing in a heap, exhausted. The three figures they had been running from, when they finally had the strength to look back, were nowhere to be seen.

"We did it girls!" Fizzy gasped. "We got away from the spooks!"

"Yeah, but where ae we?" Shady asked, looking around. "There aren't any pony towns in Ponyland, except for Bright Valley!"

It was at that point, that a red stallion trotted over to the three mares, and looked down at them. Their vision still blurry from their exhaustion, the three mares could barely make him out.

_"You ladies look exhausted."_ A deep voice told them, in a southern accent similar to Truly's _"Are you all raight?"_

"We're fine, thanks for askin, mister!" Gusty gasped out, trying to catch her breath. "But I gotta ask, where the heck are we?"

_"Yer in a place called Hollow Shades!"_ the stallion whinnied, stamping his hoof. _"Finest little burg in all o' Equestria!"_

The three mare's vision started to clear, as they could see stallions, colts, and fillies trotting around the town.

"H-hollow Shades? But that's a ghost town!" Shady added, as she pulled herself up again.

"If we were in Hollow Shades, that' meant all of you would be..." Gusty's voice trailed off, her eyes going wide at the sight of the translucent stallion they had been talking to. "...ghosts..."

_"Eyyyyyyyyyup!"_ The earth pony spirit replied simply.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !"

...

"Just a minute!" She called out, as the banging on her door got louder. "I'll be right there!"

Cheerilee let out an exhausted sigh, having spent the entire night giving out candy to hundreds upon hundreds of colts and fillies. The pink earth pony trotted slowly towards the door, and opened it to find Applejack and Gypsy, along with three anxious stallions, standing there.

"Yes?" She asked, puzzled. "How may I help you?"

"Zorry to bother you, Darlink " Gypsy asked "But we were vondering if you could lend a hoof in a little problem ve are having!"

"Why, is something the matter?" The teacher's ears perked up. "Did something happen?"

"My wife, Fizzy, went to Gypsy's performance earlier this evening!" Salty, a turquoise pony with a purple mane, spoke up. "But she never came back into port, after her voyage was over!"

"Same with my Shady!" Quarterback, a pony with a blue coat and mane, agreed. "She never made touchdown back at our apartment after the show, and that's not like her at all!"

"And my Gusty never crossed the finsh line!" The entirely blue pony named 4-speed, finished. "We're all really worried!"

"Are you boys talking about you wives not coming home with those euphemisms..." She looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "-or are you referring to something else?"

"This is no time for joking, Cheerilee!" Applejack snorted. "Those three goofballs have gone missing, and we're worried something bad might've happened to them!"

"Zheze three ztallions came to me, after zhier mates did not come home." Gypsy added. "Und I had a vision zhat you und Applejack vould be needed in zhier rescue!"

"Do you have any idea where they may have gone?" Cheerilee asked, starting to worry about the missing ponies.

"We think they went to Hollow Shades!" AJ replied. "That was what Gypsy's performance was about, and we think Gusty goaded the other two into going with her!"

"Hollow Shades? The ghost town?" The teacher remembered the book she had read to her class for Halloween. "Oh dear, it's dangerous out there after dark! We'd better go after them!"

"We're coming with you!" Salty snorted, stamping in unison.

"Nothin doin!" Applejack snorted. "If ghosts are involved in this, the less ponies out there the better!"

"Okay..." Fourspeed nodded in agreement. "But please, bring our mares back safe, all right?"

...

"Ohdearohdearohdear!" Shady cried out in terror. "W-what are they gonna do to us!?"

The three mares were back to back, sitting in the very middle of the gathering of pony spirits gliding and floting about. None of the three dared to move, as specters of deceased equines floated in and out of the worn down and drab buildings- talking, gossiping, and going about their ghostly business.

After the red stallion had moved on, the other ghosts had paid the three no notice, but the mares simply continued to sit there, paralyzed with fear. It was only after several minutes, that Fizzy got up, and trotted over to try and talk to one of the spirits.

"Hello, there!" She smiled nervously, totting up to two of the spectral mares. "My names Fizzy! What's yours?"

"FIZZY!" Shady called out in terror. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"We can't just sit there and do nothin forever!" The air headed unicorn replied. "We might as well try to talk to them!"

_"My name's Roseluck, and this is my friend, Lily!"_ The ghosts' echoing voice drifted on the wind. _"We were just heading over to the spa, you and your friends want to join us?"_

"Sure! Sounds like fun!" Fizzy motioned for the other two to follow. "We'd love to join you Two!"

"Fizzy! Are you insane?!" Gusty whispered to her. "I do not what ghosts running thier cold and clammy ectoplasm over my coat and mane!"

But not wanting to upset thier supernatural hosts, the three mares followed Fizzy and the two spirits inside. Invisible hooves massaged the three mare's backs, and unseen ponies painted polish on thier hooves. Gusty was mostly able to keep her composure, as she soaked in hot water fed my a fire that wasn't there. But poor Shady had to keep herself from hyperventilating, as a floating comb brushed through her mane.

_"There, Wasn't that wonderful?"_ Lily asked, smiling at the three. _"Lotus and Aloe always do a wonderful job!"_

"That was great!" Fizzy giggled. "What do ya want to do next?

_"The dance!"_ Roseluck whispered. _"Vynal Scratch is DJ'ing a dance!"_

The two ghosts floated out to the center of town, where several pony specters were twirling and gliding around to a errie, yet very moving, beat. The two spectral mares moved off to dance with two other specters, while the three girls quickly found themselves with dance partners.

"This... this isn't so bad!" Gusty called to the others, as a brown stallion ghost with an hourglass cutie mark twirled her.

"I still don't like these creepy creeps touching me!" Shady whined, as she and a stallion spook named Braeburn did a dip.

"Better not say that when they're in earshot!" Fizzy giggled, as the read stallion they originally met twirled her about.

At the end of the third song, a grey hared mare (who was dressed like a mayor), had two other ponies bring out a punch bowl filled with a red liquid.

_"All right everypony!"_ The older spirit called out. _"Drink up, and enjoy!"_

All of the spirits swarmed over the liquid, taking glasses and dipping into the large punch bowl. The three living mares trotted over to the bowl and sniffed at it, and their eyes went wide in horror.

"Girls... I don't think this is punch..." Shady whimpered, stepping back from the liquid nervously.

"I'll say it isn't!" Gusty blurted out. "That's pony blood!"

_"How could you not enjoy the fluids of life?"_ A ghostly mare named Junebug asked curiously. _"All ghosts crave the liquid of the living!"_

_"Unless you're not ghosts..."_ Lily's eyes narrowed, as if she was looking at the three for the first time. Her eyes began to glow red, and fangs suddenly appeared in her mouth.

_"MOOORRRRTTTALLLLLSSSSSSSSSSS !"_ She hissed, glaring at them angrily. _"MORTALSSSSSSSSS HEEERRREEEEE!"_

The eyes of the assembled ghosts all turned red, as they surrounded the three mares on all sides.

"Girls..." Gusty called out nervously, eyeing the spectral ghouls surrounding them. "... I think we're in trouble!"


	14. Chapter 14

_Where ponies fear to trot, part 3_

"Those silly fillies!" Applejack snorted angrily. "What've they gotten themselves into this time?!"

The three Fillies had left Dream Castle, and were galloping towards Hollow Shades, as fast as their hooves could carry them. The full moon high in the evening sky lit their way along the northern path, while the sparks that shot forth from the nearby volcano of gloom filled their hearts with dread.

"You vould expect ziz kind of zing vrom Gusty und Fizzy!" Gypsy snorted, trying to keep up with AJ. "But Zhady? She vouldn't go near a haunted place if her life depended on it!"

"Oh, you know how ' convincing' Gusty can be!" AJ replied in disgust. "She probably roped the others into going along with her harebrained scheme!"

"Ladies, could you please slow down?!" Cheerilee gasped out, trying to keep up with the others. "I'm not excatly as fastor as strong as a Dream Valley earth pony, you know!"

"Great horsemaster, girl! What's happening to ya?" The orange earth pony looked back. "You've been slowin down, and packin' on the pounds for the past few weeks! You feelin all right?"

"I don't know AJ, I have been gaining a little weight... and had a strange craving for peanut butter and pickles!" A concerned Cheerilee replied. "Wigwam thinks I might be sick or something!"

"Look, vou can go zee Dr. Medcin, az zoon az ve get home!" Gypsy snorted at the two of them. "Right now, ve need to conzentrate on rezcuing our vriends!"

The three ponies galloped up to a clearing in the trees, where they heard the giggling of three small fillies.

_"Look girls! It's three more ponies! Maybe they can help us!"_

_"Wait a sec... that pony is Miss Cheerilee! She's come to join the party!"_

_"An' that's mah sister! Ah knew she'd come!"_

The eerrie voices stopped the mares dead in thier tracks, and The teacher and the one-time apple bucker's faces suddenly went pale.

"Applejack..." Cherrilee whinnied, her blood running cold. "I remember...those voices..."

"Yeah, from long ago..." The orange mare in denial replied "...it can't be..."

The three little spectral fillies glided up to the three mares, Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell coming up to the pink teacher. While Apple Bloom galloped up to Applejack.

_"Hiya, big sis!"_ The little filly with the bow in her mane smiled. _"What's with the Bow in yer tail? And where yer hat?"_

"A-Apple- Apple Bloom..." Tears were streaming down the mare's face, her heart a mixture of terror and sorrow. As the mare stepped forward to embrace her long-lost sister, her hooves went right through the glowing shade.

_"Why so sad, big sis?"_ The ghost asked her, puzzled. _"An' why's yer voice sounds so funny?"_

Scootaloo and Sweetie Bell poked at the pink mare, confused as thier hooves passed through her.

"Miss Cheerilee, how come you're all fleshy?" The spectral unicorn asked. "And what's with the funny pig tails in yer mane?"

"Oh, girls..." Cheerilee tried to hold back her tears, as the two hit her with a barrage of questions. "What happened to you?"

"Ugh, ladies! Ignore zheze shades!" Gypsy snorted. "Zheze are not ze zpirits of your loved vons! Razer, Zeze are impressions- pzychic recordingz- left vrom Eqveztria's pazt!"

The two mares stared at the spectres blankly for a moment, blinking.

"So... these aren't real ghosts... like when North Star met Luna..." AJ looked at the shade who so resembled her long-dead sister. Even if it wasn't her, it was still chilling for AJ to see it!

"That-that would explain why these three are still fillies!" Cheerilee noted, as the other two phantoms stared at her. "The real girls grew up, and had lives and families!"

"Zhey are ztill complex enough to interact vith!" Gypsy exclaimed. "Maybe zhey can tell us vere our vrieands haf gone!"

_"Ohhhh! You want the other mares who came here earlier?"_ Scootaloo asked. _"We can show you where they went!"_

"Zhen lead on, little ones!" Gypsy commanded, and the three mares followed the glowing shades on towards Hollow Shades...

...

"Girls, make a run for it!" Gusty yelled at the other two ponies. "I'll hold these stupid spooks off!"

As the spirits charged at the three ponies, becoming solid enough to attack them. But Gusty unleashed a powerful volume of wind from her horn, blowing the spirits back, and giving the three a chance to gallop away.

The three girls took off from the town square, with the blood thirsty spirits in hot pursuit. Up and down the streets of town they ran, with the ghosts popping out of every door and alleyway. They kept turning and running in every direction, but the snarling, salivating spirits were around every corner.

"Gusty!" Fizzy whinnied in terror, as an elderly green mare closed in on the Twinkle-eyed pony. "They're gaining on us!"

"We can't outrun em forever!" Shady wailed. "What're we gonna do!?"

The white unicorn thought for a moment, then suddenly, she looked up at Fizzy's gemstone " Hey! Ghosts don't like bright light, right?"

"Yeah!" Fizzy added, still fleeing for her life. "So what?"

"Turn and face em, Fizz!" Gusty replied, a great big grin on her face. "Let's shine a little light on the subject!"

Fizzy turned to stare down the marauding ghosts, while Gusty cast an illumination spell on Fizzy's twinkle eyes. Twin beams of light shot out from the gemstones, searing the ghosts like flames, and causing them to howl in agony.

"Take that!" Gusty yelled aloud, as the spirits were driven back in pain. "What's wrong ghosties, not bright enough for ya?"

"Gusty! Fizzy! Shady!" Applejack called out, as the three came rushing into the village. "What the hay are you three doing?"

"We're fighting these evil spirits, who tried to attack us!" Fizzy yelled triumphantly, turning her head back and forth to get as many spooks as possible.

"Yeah! Why bother giggling a the ghosties, when ya can fry em!"Gusty agreed, concentrating and increase sting the light's intensity.

"Come on girlz, ve haff to get out of here qvickly!" Gypsy told them. The three of them broke into a run for the edge of town, until Applejack stopped to stare at a red stallion, with an elderly green mare.

"AJ, no!" Gusty yelled back, causing the whole group to stop. "What are you doing!?"

"B-big Mac?" AJ whimpered, staring at the two spirits. "G-granny Smith?"

_"Come back to us AJ..."_ The two voices called out to her invitingly. _"We miss you sooo much..."_

"Hey Big Mac..." Cheerilee called out, barreling into AJ. "You may have been a fine stallion once, but now you're all style and no substance! LEAVE MY FRIEND ALONE!"

The spectral stallion hissed, as Applejack broke free, and rushed off in a gallop again. All of the mares ran for the town exit, just as clock tower in the center of town, hit the stroke of midnight.

"What's happening?" Fizzy asked, as the town and it's ghostly inhabitants began to fade away into nothingness.

"Halloveen iz over, darlink!" Gypsy whinnied triumphantly, "zee town iz vanizhing back into zee dark dimension, vere it belongs!"

"That means we won, hooray!" Fizzy yelled triumphantly "We beat the ghosties!"

...

"So let me get this straight, Gypsy." Fizzy inquired, as they all trotted their way back home. "Those wern't real spooks, just memories?"

"Ezentially, Darlink!" She explained. "For example, zhose vere not zee 'Cuite Mark Crusaders', az Cherrilee callz zhem, but instead zhere dezire to earn zee cutie marks manivested!"

"And all of those bloodthirsty ponies?" Shady asked nervously. "The ones that were chasing us?"

"Zhey are zee bad zides of zee ponies you knew- shed vhen zhey crossed over to zee other zide!" Gypsy replied. "Zhose ohosts are zhier strongest emotions, given physical vorm!"

"So those ghost exist, because ancient ponies had strong emotions?" Aj snorted. "But why to they appear?"

"Zhat, darlink, iz zometzink ve many nevr know!" Gypsy admitted openly.

"Well, real or not, we sure showed those ghosts who's boss!" Gusty strutted in front of the other mares. "When it comes to Dream Valley's ponies, I'm the bravest mare of them all!"

"BOO!" Cheerilee yelled out, sneaking up on the unsuspecting mare.

"Aieeeee!" Startled, the normally unflappable Gusty was nearly sacred out of her horseshoes.

"You better be careful, Gusty!" AJ told hime with a chuckle. "This holiday really is to die for!"

All of the mares burst into laughter, as the welcoming sight of dream castle drew closer on the horizon


	15. Chapter 15

_A day in the life of King Scorpan_

"Your highness!" I hear a voice calling out, breaking through the darkness. "Your highness! It's time to get up!"

The sound of her whinnying is enough to rouse my from my slumber, causing my eyes to flutter open. The first thing I see is the purple canopy hanging over my bed, before I find a pair of aqua blue eyes are quickly staring straight into mine.

"Your highness!" She calls out bluntly. "Are you awake?"

"Ahhhh! Sunbeam!" I yell, sitting up in bed quickly. "How many times have I asked you _not_ to do that?!"

"I'm sorry, my king." She replies apologetically. "But it's so hard to judge if you humans are awake or not!"

Sunbeam the unicorn... my royal advisor and assistant. A gift from queen majesty from Dream Valley, she has helped me put my kingdom back in order ever since I was freed from the dark lord Tirek, A very meticulous and precise pony, I probably wouldn't even be able to find my shoes in the morning without her help!

"Don't worry about it." I sigh. Standing up, I walk for my bathroom, shutting the door behind me. "Do you have today's schedule prepared?"

"Well, you have that meeting with the envoy from the rats of Munsterville at four, they want to re-negotiate our kingdom's tariff on cheese." I hear her turn the page of her levitated clipboard, as she stands outside my bathroom. "Oh, and you're supposed to meet with Sir Huguenot about his squire in a half an hour!"

"Thanks, Sunbeam." I reply gratefully, as I pull my blue breeches and tunic on, before slipping my golden crown onto my head. "Once again, you are a royal life saver!"

My name is King Athelstan Wessex IV- or, as I am more commonly known, King Scorpan of Manehatten. I rule this city state, and the surrounding countryside, which are home to most of Ponyland's population of humans. My long lineage comes from a great line of kings, who ruled this land, since the day humans fist came over the rainbow bridge over four centuries ago.

"Also, your highness, you may wish to look over these requests from factory owners Fudgy McSwain and Rocky Ripple." She continued, as I came out of the bathroom, and slipped on my fur robes. "They want to discuss the possibility of lowering the kingdom's tariffs on ice cream and toppings..."

"Yes, yes, Sunbeam! All in due course!" I chide her, walking out of my room. As I step out into the hallway, the warm rays of the sun shine down upon me. Looking out the window, I gaze upon the sight spread out before me. Manehatten, a beautiful city of townhouses, churches, and guild halls, and lining the cobblestone roads. Once a city of Ponies, our human ancestors rebuilt it into a great metropolis, where we can live under our own laws and customs, in a land ruled by talking ponies.

"Hello, your majesty!" Good afternoon, your majesty!" The passing courtiers and officials in the hallways bow to me as I pass, while many of the ladies of court stare at my brown hair and blue eyes, swooning at my so-called 'good looks'. They all pay me the admiration and respect due to their king, but I have no way of knowing if their praise is sincere or not.

As Sunbeam and I pass into the throne room, many of the servants who are lazing about, suddenly snap to attention. As they proceed to the tasks which are their primary responsibilities, I can hear the throne rooms radio broadcasting a pony station in the background.

"Yeeeaaaah! What's up Ponylaaaaaand! This is DJ, coming at you live from Bright Valley music hall, with all of the greatest hits, along with weather, news, and sports! Today we'll be coming at you about a little disagreement, between Prince Clever Clover, and the Margrave of Fort Rainbow Dash! But first-"

The blue unicorn with the radio cutie mark is quickly silenced, as Sunbeams snaps the dial to the 'off' position. "Stupid sensationalist trash!" I hear her grumble, as she trots back over to my throne. I'll never understand these ponies and their strange technologies- why did the ambassador from Fort Rainbow give me that noisemaking box in the first place? We rely on the magic of our wizards for such things, and have little use for such things.

With a sigh, I recline in my throne. "Sunbeam, send in the first dignitary."

"As you wish, my liege." She levitates her clipboard up. "First up is Powder, ambassador of the snow pony tribes of the north!"

"Thank you your majesty, it is an honor to be here!" A purple unicorn with a snowflake cutie mark and white mane come trotting in, and bows before my throne. "As you may or may not know, my tribe lives in a very cold land far from here. We cannot grow crops and food on our own, and so we were wondering if your honorable kingdom would be willing to trade with us for goods and supplies the other pony kingdoms just don't have!"

"With all due respect, Miss Powder..." I raise my arm, cutting her off. "My people and I have very little use for ice and snow in such large quantities."

I know if this pony- she is the snow ponies' fast talker, who is always hanging around at Queen Majesty's court. I've heard it said she can sell a refrigerator to a pengrim.

"Aha, but that is where the answer lies!" The unicorn gave a mischievous grin. "You see, we have learned that Blarkland and Screea, being desert countries, have no access to large amounts of water! Now, if you were to, say, take our ice off of us, then transport it by magic..."

"We could trade or sell it to the Screens and Blarks!" My face lights up. "What a brilliant idea!"

"I knew you would appreciate it, your highness!" Powder replies with a grin. "It's a perfect solution that i a benefit to all thre parties!"

And so it goes on, for the rest of the morning. I receive visit from a peasant who was digging a well, and ran into trouble when he accidentally penetrated a diamond dog mine.

"GRRRRR! Human dig into our kitchen! Demand recompensation!"

"That was my land I was digging under! It was your fault you put your stupid home under my property!"

I receive a domestic dispute from a duke, who bought a sleeping pony off a con man, only to find it could talk when it awoke.

"That merchant gave me a raw deal!" The nobleman grumbles. "All this old nag ever does is complain!"

"Who you calling an old nag, you weirdo!" The yellow pony with the green mane snorts. "My name's Tootsie, and I was just taking a nap, when this loser slipped a saddle onto me, and got on my back!"

One apology to a mare and anti-slavery lecture to a nobleman later, and I had reached my lunch break. Sunbeam clopped her front hooves together, and the servants wheeled a steaming cart of food in.

"I had the chef prepare the fist side of ham and blood pudding in Manehatten, your highness!" The mare boasted to me. "Now eat up, while it's still hot and cold!"

As I placed my napkin around my neck, and picked up my silverware, I noticed Sunbeam merely eating a bowl of oats over to the side. With a sigh, I realized how little of an appetite all of the stresses of my court must leave her with. I wish I could tell this mare how much I appreciate her hard work and dedication. But being the kind of Pony she is, I knew she would hear none of it.

Late arrivals from the other world, we humans fill out a kind of strange place here in Ponyland. Our ancestors first came here from a place called Angle-land, fleeing from the tyranny of a ruler called the eighth Henry. They discovered the rainbow bridge while fleeing from his authorities, and gradually snuck themselves and their families over to escape tyranny.

I, myself, am descended from the first kings of Angle-land, including the great king Alfred. It was the disposal of my line by Normandy of William, that led to my ancestors fleeing here, where the ponies set my lineage up, to rule the human settlers.

After quickly finishing my meal, I await the arrival of the next petitioner.

"Sir Huguenot, your majesty!" Sunbeam tells me. "And his young apprentice, squire Alonzo!"

A middle aged, portly man in armor soon enters, followed by a teenage boy in a red tunic. It is clear that the elder gentleman is vexed by the boy, who carries a look of angry defiance about him. I hope things are not going amiss with this boy, as he was hand-picked by my court wizard, and I have high hopes for him.

"Ah, my good knight!" I smile, greeting the two arrivals warmly. "How goes your training of my court's next champion?"

"Not well, I fear!" Sir Huguenot growled, crossing his arms over his massive stomach. "The boy will not follow my instructions at all! He won't slay baby dragons when I tell him to, and he can't even stay in the saddle when jousting with other squires!"

"Those jousters are twice my size! How could I possibly stand up to armored riders that huge!" Alonzo protested. "And I can't slay any of those dragons, they might be fiends of relatives of Spike!"

Spike... the name hits me like a blow from a club. The baby dragon who was my only companion for years, when Tirek had turned me into a monster in his service. That little fellow was centuries older than I would ever be, yet he acted with the bright-eyed wonderment of a newborn when faced with very real and dangerous situations.

I had hoped he would remain by my side, returning with me when I returned to my kingdom, but he chose to stay with the ponies who had saved us Oh, Spike... where are you now? Happily frolicking with the ponies across the meadows? Or off on your ow adventures? I hope one day, I will get to see you again, my friend...

"This boy will not even ride a horse into battle! He insists on using that stupid camel of his as a steed!"

"My camel isn't stupid! He can talk, just like the ponies do!"

"Bah, you are worthless, boy! That enchantress from the other world, has clearly bewitched you!"

"How dare you say anything bad about Megan! She is the sweetest and kindest maiden I've ever met! And she's the reason our good king was rescued in the first place!"

"Both of you, ENOUGH!" I yell finally, silencing them both. "I have heard enough from both of you, I need to consider matters in private! Now, leave me!"

"Yes, my king!" Both of them bowed simultaneously, before storming out of the room, still glaring at each other. As I am left in the throne room, I stare out at the evening sky.

"Y-your majesty?" Sunbeam asked in a worried tone, trotting up to me. "Are you all right?"

"I feel so... old." I remove my crown, gently caressing my temples. "I was robbed of ten years of ruling my kingdom by that monster, and now I am left to put things back into order, all by myself."

"You are not alone, my dear Athelstan." She came trotting up, rasing her head to nuzzle me. "I am here to help you, no matter what happens!"

"It's funny you use my real name, few ponies or people do so anymore!" I laugh ruefully, lowering my head. "Everyone calls me King Scorpan these days... all they remember is the flying ape-like monster I spent so many years as!"

"Don't let them get to you, your majesty!" She replied soothingly, rubbing her head against mine. "Your human herd is just having trouble adjusting to having their ruler back!"

"Ahhh, you're just a pony, Sunbeam!" I complain, walking out of the throne room. "How could you possibly understand?"

"S-scorpan..." I can hear the sadness welling up in her voice, just as surely as the tears were welling in her eyes. But how could she -how could anyone- understand? This is a sorrow that I alone must bear.

Reentering the hallway, I look out the window at my city again. So many wonderful, happy people out there... descendants of refugees, who have made successful lives for themselves here. How can I possibly be the ruler they except me to be?

_"It is the fact you worry about that fact, which makes you such a wonderful ruler!"_ I hear in my mind. I turn, to find a white haired human woman with a yellow streak in her hair- and a unicorn's horn- staring at me. _"A bad ruler wouldn't' even care about their subjects."_

"Sunbeam." I whisper, as the woman clad in a pink gown walked over, and rested her head against mine. "Isn't that a misuse of your unicorn magic, my dear?"

"We all have these problems, Athelstan, both pony and human." She tells me, putting an arm around me "It's how we use our friends and loved ones to deal with the misery and stress.

Saying nothing, I merely smile, putting an arm around her waist. Together, the two of us watch the sun set on the city before us, and just a little bit of the burden is lifted from my heart.


	16. Chapter 16

_Applejack's fair weather holiday_

_Dream Valley, two days before Christmas..._

The snow fell all around the walls of Dream Castle, giving the place the feeling of the wonderful season that was in the air. Foals played outside the castle walls, making snow ponies and sledding down the nearby hill. The Pegasus were busy stringing up the lights, while the earth pony carolers were at the palace's outdoor stage, trying to get in tune to sing "Jingle Bells" for the Christmas concert that night. Even the unicorns were helping out, levitating a Christmas tree they had bought off of inside, and setting it up with all of the decorations on it. Yes, the great season of Christmas was in the air, and every pony could feel the joy and magic all around them.

"Mama! Mama!" Baby Applejack came running out the castle's drawbridge, galloping towards the orange earth mare trotting away from the now-finished choir practice. "Guess what I did today?"

"Easy there, little one!" Her mother laughed, as the little filly trotted up and nuzzled her. "And how was your last day of school before holiday break?"

"It was great!" The filly exclaimed, waving her hooves around excitedly. "Miss Sundance read us the story of How Minty saved Christmas, an we had cookies and played games!"

"That's great, apple blossom!" Applejack smiled, using her nickname for baby AJ. "And I hope you're ready to eat a lot of my apple pie tonight, and open all of the Presents your father and I got for you."

At her mother's words, Baby Applejack's ears drooped. "Mama... Do you think Daddy and Apple Delight will get back from Misty Mountain in time for Christmas?"

"I don't know, little one." At that, the orange earth mare frowned. "The Snowstorm brewing tonight is supposed to get even worse, and it'll be dangerous for them to try to fly, gallop, or ride through it!"

"Couldn't a unicorn just wink 'em home?" The filly asked hopefully. But applejack just shook her head.

"Twilight and Galaxy told me they have to make a short series of jumps when winking, and with the coming storm, that could get daddy and your brother hurt!"

"I understand." The filly replied sadly. As she and her mother trotted back towards the castle, Baby Applejack looked up at her. "Mommy, is it true you were the Applejack when you were younger? The harmony bearer from Ponyville?"

AJ's eyes went wide at that. "Yes... yes, I am, apple blossom, that was me. Where- where did you hear about that, ?" She was not surprised her daughter had heard about her earlier life in Ponyville, given that it was now spread all over the castle, but AJ had hoped to tell her children about her past herself.

"Baby Lofty told me." Baby Applejack replied. "Mom, if you're the element of Loyalty, can't you just make the weather change so they can come home?"

"T-that's not how the elements of harmony work, sweetie." Applejack replied, looking away. "And I don't have the element of Honesty anymore."

"Well, that's what I wish for Christmas." Baby Applejack sighed, trotting back over the drawbridge ahead of her mother. "I want daddy and Apple Delight to all be in front of the Christmas tree together!"

AJ looked back up at the dark clouds in the sky, and thought of the blowing and billowing sea of white that would soon descend from them. As she followed her daughter back into the castle, the wheels in the mare's head slowly began to turn...

...

"You want us to drive the storm away?" Firefly asked, nearly choking on her hot coca in shock. "AJ, are you serious?"

The oragne mare was sitting in the Satin Slipper sweet Shoppe, at a table with six of her Pegasus friends. She had just gotten done telling them her plan to make her daughter's dream come true, and was now getting stares of disbelief.

"Yep, I know Pegasus were once able to control the weather." Applejack replied confidently. "I'm certain you ladies would be able to wrangle those clouds up there, and drive this storm out!"

"Look, Applejack... we Pegasus might be able to still pull tricks like causing lightning across the sky, or bouncing om a cloud and dumping water all over another pony as a gag." Medley warned her. "But full on weather control? That's a pony of a different color.

"Sounds like fun to me!" Surprise squealed, slurping down her hot fudge sundae. "I always have fun playing in the clouds!"

"You say you're doing this as a Christmas gift for your daughter? How dramatic, dahling!" Heart Throb cooed in her southern accent. "I'd love tah yelp ya'll get your man home for the holidays!"

"Not to dampen everyone's enthusiastic prospects for this enormous endeavor." Wind Whistler snorted, trying to get everybody at the table back to reality. "But to tamper with the natural flowing patterns of the weather in this day and age, is to invoke the supremely unpleasant wrath of the fairy folk."

"Blimey, she's right, AJ!" North Star Agreed, sipping her hot cider. "The fair folk run nature now, and ta meddle in their affairs is ta invite disaster!"

With a sigh, AJ leaned forward, and shook her mane.

"You're absolutely right, ladies." The orange mare replied. "I just thought all of you would be interested in living up to the legacy of your Equestrian ancestors, proud ponies like the wonderbolts, who could shape the weather with ease! But if all of you don't think you can handle it..."

"What did you say, AJ?" Firefly angrily slammed her hooves down onto the table. "Are you implying we aren't up to par with Rainbow Dash, and the other Pegasus you knew in Ponyville?"

"Firefly, calm down!" Medley warned her. "She's just trying to goad you into-"

"Ladies, get yer flying goggles on!" The Pink Pegasus snorted. "We've got cloud duty outside the castle tonight!"

"Yaaaay!" Surprise giggled zipping around the room. "This is gonna be sooo much fun!"

"This is a total and utter folly." Wind Whistler snorted, getting up from the table and trotting away. "And I want no part of it!"

"AJ, I really hope this isn't a mistake." North Star sighed, finishing off the contents of her mug. "For all of our sakes!"

...

That very night, five Pegasus flew up into the skies over Dream Valley, zipping across the skies, and smashing into clouds, breaking them up. Ancient, latent abilities awoke within the flying ponies, as they willed the cold winds to push the storm front over and away from the road to Misty Mountain. As they worked, the Pegasus talked and gossiped amongst themselves.

"Wow, this really is a lot of fun!" Surprise exclaimed, bucking a cloud and causing it to dissipate. "We shoulda been kickin' clouds all along!"

"Stay sharp though, ya airhead!" Firefly told the ditzy blonde, as the winds whipped at her mane. "We don't fly in these kind of conditions that often!"

"I say, this is quite a way to be spending the day before Christmas eve." North Star exclaimed. "Speaking of which, would you care to join me at the Snowdrop Ceremony on Christmas day, Medley? The Flutter ponies told me I could bring a guest!"

"Oh, I would love to, Star!" The Pegasus with the music note cutie mark exclaimed. "But only if I can take my hubby and Baby Medley with me!"

"Hey, Heart Throb, I was wondering..." Surprise flew up beside the pink Pegasus. "Is it true the humans believe the Horsemaster's son was born on Christmas night, and that's why they celebrate this holiday?"

"It's true, darling! And they believe he was born in a stable, no less!" Heart Throb tossed her mane nonchalantly, as she emptied a cloud of it's snow by continuously hopping on it. "As if the horsemaster's offspring would be born anywhere else!"

But as the five flying ponies cleared the skies from Dream Valley to the Misty Mountain range, there were those watching them, who were not at all pleased with their actions.

Far, Far to the North of Dream Valley, stood the towering peak of green mountain. Home to Ponyland's population of fairy folk (Mistakenly called the green mountain elves by some ponies). It was they who brought the rains and the sunshine down onto the countryside, they who made the winds blow and the snow fall.

Deep within the grand feat hall, the great fires were alight in celebration, as the great fairy ladies and lords, decked out in all of their diamonds and finery, danced to the ancient yuletide carols. Pixies and sprites attended their human sized fay masters- who all looked beautiful beyond the measure of mortals. The revelers even appeared human, save the pointed ears and pair of tiny antenna coming out of their heads. But at the very heart of the gathering, stood four figures in council together, who observed the weather-altering ponies with displeasure.

"See now, my brothers and sisters!" The Summer Witch shrieked, her blazing red eyes staring at the viewing orb with disdain. "These ponies seek to take our sacred duties onto themselves once more, interfering with the running of the natural world!"

A red-haired maiden in a green gown adorned with flowers, the summer witch burned with an anger that all of Ponyland could feel. She was only happy when her heat scorched human and pony alike, and made the flowers and trees wither. It irritated her beyond words that the gentle and soothing touches of the other seasonal lords ruined the misery she could bring on ponyland.

"Oh, sister! You are far too harsh on them!" The autumn princess, a figure in a yellow gown adorned with leaves. The scent and auras of the fields and vineyards, of the forest and birdsong, hung around her. "These Pegasus only meddle with the weather for fun now and then! Certainly we can forgive this intrusion into our dominions, just for the Christmas season!"

The summer witch merely scowled at her younger counterpart- of course she'd support the Dream Valley ponies, they had saved her when the summer witch imprisoned her to keep fall from coming one year! But it was a cold chilling voice that spoke the condemnation of the Pegasus next.

"We most certainly cannot overlook these equines interference in our affairs!" The winter wizard hissed, icicles forming on his chilly breath. "I had a glorious snow storm planned for this holiday, and those accursed ponies ruined it! I demand they pay for their actions in blood!"

Clad in blue scale armor and looking like a man who had frozen to death, the winter wizard loved nothing more than freezing unwary travelers out in his cold solid. Under the name of the Sea Wizard, he would often sail through the frozen seas of Ponyland in his ship, the Golden Galleon, and entrap ponies so he could freeze them to death. The snowdrift that buried the helpless passerby, the chill that sent elf and gnome to the sinister embrace of the grave- these were the only thing that warmed the wizard's chilly heart.

"If you could, brother, you would freeze all of Dream Valley in a never-ending winter." The Storm King, lord of spring showers and the rainy season of rebirth, the goblin-like fay clad all in rags, glared at his two malevolent counterparts. "But be wared! Armed with both the rainbow of Light, and the power of it's unicorn mages, Dream Valley could put up enough of a fight to destroy even us!"

"Of course you support the ponies!" The summer witch hissed, red and yellow flames crackling off of her angry form. "They promised to visit your castle, when nobody else will look at your ugly face!"

"You leave him alone!" The Autumn Princess yelled, a strong fall wind blowing her leaf-like hair around. "You forget that your precious summer, must always give way to my autumn!"

"And you forget that your fall withers away before my winter!" The Wizard roared, snow and ice spewing forth from his mouth.

"All of you- ENOUGH!" A middle aged woman in a blue dress covered in moving storm clouds yelled, storming into the room. All four of the season sorcerers fell silent.

"The ponies have been warned not to make their own weather, and they have flagrantly violated the oaths their ancestors, the last generation of Equestrian Ponies, made to us upon our awakening." The weather witch proclaimed. "Though we cannot attack Dream castle directly, the ponies must pay for this gross insult to fairykind!"

...

Outside the walls and protective magical barrier of Dream Castle, Baby Applejack, Baby Heart Throb, Baby Medley, and Baby Firefly were stringing up lights into AJ's apple trees. They had snuck out after sunset, and were busy preparing a surprise for the castle tomorrow morning.

"Wow, these sure are pretty!" Baby Applejack told the other fillies. "Momma's really gonna love our surprise!"

"I hope so!" Baby Firefly replied, suddenly shivering as she flew. "Brrrrrrr, is anybody else feeling cold out here?"

It was then that the four fillies suddenly felt ice spreading their hooves, and the icicles forming on their wings.

"Help me!" Baby Heart Throb screamed, her eyes going wide in terror. "I can't move my legs!"

"Aieeee! It hurts! It Hurts!" Baby Medley wailed, as the blood in her veins froze to ice. "Make it stop hurting!"

A few minutes later, Applejack came trotting out of the castle drawbridge.

"What the hack is all of that commotion out here?" AJ looked around, and noticed the four shadowy forms standing over by her small outdoor apple orchard.

"What're you girls doing out here?" AJ asked, trotting over to what she thought was the fillies. "Oh, and apple blossom? I have a nice surprise for you! Your dad and brother will be-"

As the orange mare drew closer, she finally saw the horrific sight of four little fillies who had become ice sculptures, looks of abject terror frozen on their innocent little faces.

"APPLE BLOSSOM! AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !"


	17. Chapter 17

_Applejack's fair weather holiday_

...

"What have I done?"

The distraught mare could only stare at the little fillies, helpless as the nurse ponies directed the stallion guards to carry them inside the castle. Oh, how could this have happened on Christmas eve, of all times? Staring at her frozen daughter's horrified face, tears streamed down the guilt wracked earth mare's face.

_"I only wanted to make you happy..."_

...

"Blast you, Applejack!" A teary-eyed Firefly howled, as three other mares tried to hold her back. "I lost my baby because of you!"

Having returned from their weather operation in the skies, the five Pegasus had gathered in Queen Majesty's throne room. The four mothers amongst them quickly learned what had happened to their daughters in their absence. Shock quickly turned to sorrow, however, and sorrow quickly turned to rage. Their hearts filled with anger towards the orange earth mare standing before them, the mad mothers fumed at the instigator of this actions.

"Blimey, it's obvious 'tis the Sprits of the Season's doing!" North Star snorted, glaring at Applejack. "A punishment for tampering with the forces of nature like we did."

"None of This would have happened if we hadn't listened to AJ!" Medley growled. "But you had to get your precious hubby and son home right away!"

"Applejack, ya no good scallywag! This is all your fault!" Heart Throb shrieked, tears streaming down her face. "I say we offer y'all up ta the fair folk ta freeze instead!"

"No, please, I didn't mean to..." Applejack looked around at them. "I'm so sorry..."

The four weeping Pegasus closed in on her, only to have queen Majesty stamp her hoof in anger.

"Ladies, that is enough!" The ruler of Dream Castle commanded. "Punishing Applejack, who has suffered just as much as you have, will not bring your children back, or hers!"

"Then what are we ta do, your highness?" North Star asked bitterly. "How can we restore our children from this horrid affliction?"

"A delegation must be sent to Green Mountain, to plead with the elves to restore their children." Majesty commanded, leaning forward on her throne. "Applejack, for your selfish actions, it is you who shall make the journey up the mountain. But you shall not go alone."

"As you command, Majesty." Applejack bowed humbly, trying to hold her own tears back. "But this is my mess I made, and I need to clean it up."

"We'll go with her, my queen!" Firefly exclaimed, the other four nodding. "Our children are in as much danger as Applejack's are!"

"No, you three will stay with your daughters." Majesty decreed, pointing her hoof up the stairs towards the infirmary. "But I suggest all of you wear insulated clothing, as Dr. Medicin has informed me that she is keeping the room ice cold to prevent the fillies from melting."

"Then who will be coming with me?" Applejack asked, looking around the throne room.

"I shall come!" A white Pegasus mare exclaimed, limping into the room. "I have much to atone for to the Dream Valley herd, and I can fly AJ to the top of the mountain!"

The moment Applejack saw her red mane and Scarred Palm tree cutie mark, she knew exactly who this wounded mare was.

"No, Paradise! It's too dangerous!" Applejack exclaimed. "You still haven't recovered from your injuries after escaping Paradise estate!"

"Besides, Paradise." Medley added. "The last time you went to green Mountain, you nearly passed out from the high altitude!"

"I can handle it!" The Pegasus snorted, flexing her recently-healed wings. "And I've toughened up since then!"

"Blimey! Don't trust that lazy mare with our children, my Queen!" North Star protested. "She's the pony who tried to get out of work, by getting some magic paint off a goblin merchant!"

"Yeah! And when she painted Paradise Estate with it, the house came to life and tried to kill us!" Heart Throb finished. "Don't send her with Applejack!"

"I've learned my lesson since then, ladies!" Paradise shot back. "And I want to help out, to make up for my past betrayal of the herd!"

"Very well, Paradise. You shall accom-pony Applejack on her quest." Majesty exclaimed, nodding. "Good luck to you both!"

...

The two ponies quickly set off for the north, taking the well-traveled roads, so as to avoid the many menaces and threats that now plagued Ponyland.

As the passed several of the human villages near Manehatten, Applejack and Paradise strayed close to the towns. They could see lit candles in windows, and hear singing coming from the churches. But as they passed near several homes on the outskirts, the orange pony noticed several houses with their doors open. Motioning to Paradise, the two mares quietly trotted up to a window and peeked inside.

"What in the world? Why do they " Applejack asked, noticing an empty place set at the table near the hearth. "Paradise, is this some odd human Christmas custom I'm unaware of?"

"This is the night the humans celebrate the Horsemaster's birthday, Applejack." Paradise replied. "In some towns, it is customary to set a place for the horsemaster at the table."

"Well, I wish there was such a place to welcome us this night." The orange mare replied with a sigh. "I'd rather do anything but face the beings we are about to encounter."

Arriving at the base of Green Mountain, Paradise wrapped her hooves around her earth pony friend, and began to fly her up the cliff side.

"Careful Paradise, don't drop me!" AJ called out in a worried tone. "You sure the altitude isn't bothering you?"

"I-I'll be all right, AJ!" The white Pegasus called back, her voice becoming nasally from her sinuses becoming stuffed up. "Don't you worry about a thing!"

After a rough and wobbly ascent, the two arrived at the great doors to the fairy kingdom. Paradise quickly wrapped her hoof on the door, and a beautiful fey with a green gown and long blonde hair answered the door.

"Warm Welcome to you and your friend, good Paradise!" She greeted them, remembering the Pegasus from her last visit. "I am Kara, gatekeeper of the mountain kingdom! What brings you to us this holiday season?"

"We would have words with the Season Spirits, Kara." Paradise replied. "We have come to discuss the curse they have placed on our children."

"Of course." The fay maiden with antenna bowed to them. "Right this way, please."

Kara guided them through the well-lit golden halls, past fine treasures of silver and gold. Arriving at a large set of doors, the fey maiden opened the door for them, and motioned. "Enter, our lords and ladies await you within."

The two ponies trotted into a large, vaulted chamber. Inside, AJ and Paradise felt the chill of winter, the burn of summer, and the cool breezes of spring and autumn all at once. Before their eyes, the four great rulers of the seasons appeared, and before such magical might the two ponies shielded their eyes with their hooves.

"So, here stands the ring leader of the pony desecration!" The winter wizard roared, glaring down at the orange. "Have you come here to share the fate of your little foals?"

"Great lords and ladies of nature, we understand your righteous anger at this flagrant violation of your sacred duties." Paradise exclaimed, bowing her head to the four. "But why make the innocent ponies suffer for the actions of their elders?"

"I quite agree with you, my good Paradise!" The Autumn princess replied, glaring at two of her fellow sovereigns of the weather. "I believe my esteemed comrades acted quite out of turn in these matters!"

"Bah! You would not be so lenient in this desecration, if it had been your season that had been violated!" The summer witch barked. "We should freeze all of Dream Valley, as a warning to the other pony herds not to trifle with the fair folk!"

"You... you five are cruel beyond belief!" Applejack exclaimed. "You would punish the innocent along with the guilty, just because you feel slighted!"

"Can't you have some compassion for us mortals?" Paradise pleaded. "Especially on this most holy and sacred of nights?"

"Brothers and sisters, I implore all of you two pardon this one little transgression!" The Storm King spoke to the others. "We are not without compassion!"

The weather sorceress stepped forward, and spoke to Applejack and Paradise.

"For seven centuries, my good mares, we fey have guided the weather and seasons of this world." She explained. "When the being you call discord perished, it awakened our kind from a long slumber, and we resumed control of the Seasons of this world, which you ponies had so judiciously controlled in our absence. But you ponies must remember... while you may have the magical ability to manipulate and control nature, but we fey are of nature!"

"All right, my lords and ladies, I give up." Thinking of her poor frozen little girl, Applejack trotted forward and bowed to the five nature spirits. "I only wished for my little girl to be happy for the holidays, for my whole family to be together for the holiday." She closed her eyes, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. "But if what I did was such a horrible thing... then I ask that you freeze me instead, and spare the babies from your terrible wrath!"

"Applejack, no!" Paradise wailed, galloping forward to her friend.

The five spirits murmured amongst themselves, too low for the two ponies to hear. Applejack noticed the looks on the Winter Wizard and Summer witch's faces turn to frowns and scowls. Finally, the Weather Witch looked down at the ponies, and spoke.

"My little pony, your willingness to sacrifice yourself for your child and your friends, has earned you the compassion and mercy of the immortals." She smiled at the two mares. "Merry Christmas Applejack, go home to your family."

The two mares wee suddenly surrounded by smoky clouds, as the halls of green mountain, and the five Season Spirits, vanished before their eyes.

"Where are we?" Paradise asked, looking around in confusion. "What's going-"

The mists parted, and the two mares quickly found themselves outside the walls of Dream Castle.

"We're home!" AJ exclaimed. "But how?"

"Mama! Mama! There you are!" An excited voice suddenly cried out. "Guess what? Daddy's home!"

Before either could utter a word, Baby Applejack came galloping out of the Castle, followed quickly by Firefly and Medley.

"What's happened?" The dumbfounded Paradise asked. "We were just-"

"They just thawed out, all of a sudden, as if they had never been frozen." Firefly stated simply. "They were ice one minute, and normal the next."

"And guess what, AJ?" Medley exclaimed excitedly. "Your hubby and son are home!"

As the four ponies trotted back into the castle, Firefly looked back at the other two mares. "Whatever you two did, it musta worked, good job!"

Paradise then leaned over to AJ, and whispered. "So, you have another Christmas wish, Applejack?"

"Only that you and everyone else have a Merry Christmas, Paradise." The orange mare simply smiled over at her friend. "And a happy new year."

...

_Very well, Applejack. As you requested, I have written down the Christmas story you wanted me to write for your Daughter, where you get to save Christmas. But as a historian, I am normally against such tall tales, but it is just a fairy story for foals. Pegasus still able to control the weather? The fairies controlling nature? And the fairy rulers being so fickle and cruel? Really AJ, you're imagination's almost as vivid as Paradise's. Oh well, Merry Christmas to you and your family._

_Tornado Firehooves_

_P.S.- Do you think Ember and I could have some of your leftover apple Pie after the holiday. Don't tell Twilight I said this, but her annual fruitcake always makes me sick. Honestly, her cooking makes better paperweights than edible food! Yech!_


	18. Chapter 18

_Dowfall part 1-making a deal_

_To Captian Lofty, commander of the Dream Valley Lightning Bolts-_

_Here is the historical account your requested of me, translated from personal diaries and firsthand reports. I must warn you, however, that this text does not present your ancestor in positive light, nor does it paint a heroic picture about the founding of the Lightning Bolts. Lofty, you have been warned!_

_Thane Tornado Firehooves_

_Dream Castle Historian_

As the rain came down on her head, a young Pegasus mare put her suitcase over her head, wishing she could fly up into the clouds and stop this drizzle- an impossible feat, given this region had uncontrollable weather. As she flapped her way through the everfree forest, she remebered-

_"You're a disgrace to the Wonderbolts! Drumming you out of this academy is letting you off soft!"_

_"But m'mam! I was only trying to be a better flyer-!"_

_"Don't talk back to me, nag! You dishonor this academy with your lack of concern for your fellow pony! I never want to see your face around here again!"_

But the more the young mare remembered, the angrier she became...

"My queen, she is here!" The unicorn whinnied, looking in through the throne room door.

"Very well, Minuette." Rosaline replied, looking up from her paperwork. "Please, send her in!"

The large bronze doors swung open, and a proud-looking Pegasus mare trotted into the throne room, stopping before the throne and bowing politely.

"Thank you for seeing me, your highness." Theblue pony with a blonde mane greeted Rosaline. "It is truly an honor to be granted an audience with you, and on such short notice."

"Lightining Dust... so you are more polite than my intelligence reports on you indicated." The unicorn monarch learned forward on her throne, looking down at the mare thoughtfully. "Welcome to Dream Castle, my dear. It is rare priveledge that an Equestrian citizen is allowed to see this place."

"Yeah, I can understand that." Lightning Dust looked around at the throne rooms white washed marble columns, and purple drapery and carpeting. "Nice place you got here, your highness. Not as fancy-schmancy as Canterlot, but nice in a Dream Valley sort of way."

"What exactly are you doing here, my dear?" Rosaline replied, getting to the point. "You put yourself at great risk, coming to visit a kingdom of exiles and outcasts that officially doesn't exist. What exactly is it that you want?"

"I was the best flyer in Equestria, your highness. I had practiced since I was a foal." Lightning Dust looked up at Queen Rosaline, her face turning to a look of anger as she spoke. "Ever since I was a little filly, all I ever wanted was to be a Wonder Bolt. I trained and trained and trained, forcing myself to be faster than the fastest Pegasus filly, and stronger than the stongest Pegasus colt. While other foals were playing games and having fun, I pushed and pushed and pushed myself to be the best!"

"I am well aware of your story, Lightning. My spies are very through in thier information gathering." Rosaline snorted, pointing towards a barely noitceable changeling lurking in the shadows. "You were kicked from Wonderbolts training, due to your recklessness and carelessness!"

"I was the best cadet at the academy that year, the best!" The mare snorted angrily. "I was the fastest at completeing 500 flying laps! I was the one who pushed past the limit on the dizzytron! I was the pony who created a tornado to bust clouds quicker! And what was my reward?" He eyes went wide, as she was basically shouting by this point. "Stripped of my position as a a leader! Publicly humiliated! And that Spitfire? She was a total hypocrite! She _made_ me a leader because I pushed myself flying! She supported everything I did, up until Rainbow Dash called her on it! My childhood dreams were ripped out from underneath me, and I want payback!"

"That may be the case, but again..." The queen replied, brining a halt to Lightning Dust's ranting. "What is it you want from Dream Valley?"

"You're kingdom's in a Cold War with Princess Celestia's kingdom, and in that cold war, the air power of the Wonderbolts is a factor." She smiled darkly. "I know thier strengths and weaknesses, I know how they work as a team! I can give you the stategies your air fighters need to comabat them! And I can train you an eliete combat force from your best Pegasus flyers to counter them!"

"So, you'll train me my own squadron of Wonderbolts, and provide me with valuable intel." Rosaline cocked an eyebrow. "And what is it that you want from me in return?"

"The team is named gonna be named after me- the Lightning Bolts- and I'm made the squad captian." The mare demanded, stamping her hoof. "Also, the glory stays mine, even after I'm gone. None of this 'earning the position thorugh effort' junk, my rank and leadership gets passed down to my daughter, and then to her daughter, and so on- as long as there is a team."

"As I recall your foolish actions nearly destroyed the harmony bearers." Rosaline replied critically. "Why should I put my own subjects at your _tender_ mercies?"

"Okay, I admit I was being a bit reckless that day, but they could have told me what I was doing wrong, rather than stripping my pin off my uniform right in front of everypony else, and booting me out!" The Pegasus mare's wings drooped, and she looked at the floor. "I won't put the ponies under my command's in unesscesscary danger, I swear I won't be reckless with the lives of your subjects!"

"You are extremely ruthless and ambitious, Lightning Dust... qualities frowned upon in Equestria." The queen noted, staring directly at the Pegasus. "However, those may just be the qualities Dream Valley's areial defenders will need, if they are going to protect my kingdom. Very well, I shall grant you what you desire!"

"All right! Thank you, your Highness!" The Pegasus kowtowed before Rosaline. "I promise you, you're not gonna regret this!"

"See to it that I do not." Rosaline replied, gesturing off to a servant to take the Pegasus's luggage to a room in the castle. "For I have a most important task for you, once you get your new team trained!"

"Really?" Lightning asked, surprised. "What's that?"

"You are correct about one thing... the Wonderbolts are far too much of a threat to the balance of power between Equestria and Dream Valley." The queen stood up, and trotted over to the window. "Once the Lightning Bolts are ready to go, I want Celestia's little group of flyers taken out of the picture, premanently!"

"Your majesty?" The Pegasus asked in shock. "You want me to... wipe out the Wonderbolts?"

"Not to actually end the ponies lives, mind you... that is far too sinister an act." The queen replied in disgust. "But if the unit were publically humiiated in, say, an international incident... My aunt Celestia would be compelled to dissolve the Wonderbolts to save face."

"Leaving Dream Valley and the Flutter Ponies with the only elite flyer units!" Lightning grinned. "Oh, your majesty, you are a clever pony!"

...

"I'm lookin' for a few good ponies..."

Withing the glass-domed courtyard of Dream Castle, Lightning Dust was adressing thirty of the kingdom's best flyers, hoof-picked by the queen herself. The new captian was currently dressed in a leather bomber jacket and aviator goggles- the team's outfit, designed by Hoity Toity himself- and was seeing who she could pick out of this rabble to start the training.

"As you all know, Equestria- the kingdom which dumped all of you out on your flanks, turning you from respectable citizens into exiles- is now threatening the new home that you and your families have made for yourselves out here. Queen Rosaline needs Pegasus of particular strength and speed to defend her domnions from invaders, and I want to know whom amongst you is up to the challenge!"

Several moments of silence followed, before a white stallion with an organe mane with a pale strak in it stepped forward.

"I'll be happy to join your cause, m'mam!" The athletically built stallion replied, saluting the mare.

"And you might you be, soldier?" Lightning replied, realizing he was a professional by his demeanor.

"Fire Streak, m'mam... formerly of the Wonderbolts!" Her replied, keeping his gaze ahead.

"The Wonderbolts?" She asked in surprise. "How did an ex-Wonderbolt end up out here?"

"Humilitaion and exile, m'mam!" he replied grimly, continuing to salute. "Questioned an order to attack a helpess opponent on a mission, m'am!"

_"And they punished me for my ruthlessness!_ The mare thought to herself. _"Like I said before- hypocrites!"_

"Very well then, Fire Streak." She told him, her eyes going up and down the curves of his flank. "You'll be my second in command on this team." She handed him a uniform jacket. "With your experience, you're gonna help me whip this rookies into shape."

"M'mam! Yes m'mam!" He snorted, saluting again. "I won't let you down, m'mam!"

"As to the rest of you, I could whip even the weakest of you into shape!" She flew up to another unassuming white mare with Pink and green streaks in her mane. "You! Rookie! What's your name!"

"My name? Blossomforth, m'mam!" She clumsily saluted Lightning. "Ponyville exile, banished to Dream Valley for publicly humilating a Cloudsdale politician!"

"Did, I ask for that information, rookie?" She barked, causing Blossomforth to wince at her harshness. "In order to prove I can make each of you into a lean, mean flying and fighting machine, I will be taking this joke of a mare as my wing pony! Do all of you understand?"

"M'mam yes m'mam!" They all replied in unision.

"Very good! I see you're all very dedicated to the cause!" The mare nodded approving ly. "But I wanna see whose got the fire in 'em to be a Lightning Bolt, and who doesn't! Now, get out on that track, and give me 500 laps!"

"M'mam! Yes m'mam!" They replied in unision, heading out onto the indoor track.

_"So far, so good!"_The mare thought to herself. _"I need to get these goofs into shape, if we are going to carry out our new queen's orders!"_ Lightning Dust narrowed her eyes. _"I need to stop sweating all the small stuff, and concentrate on training these failures and setbacks, to be ready! Look out, little ponies! Lightning Dust is gonna have her revenge!"_

_..._

_Tornado,_

_You're darn right this isn't a good narrative- it sucks! You make my squadron look like a band of criminals that destroyed the Wonderbolts, and you made my ancestor, Lightning, look like an evil villian. Fix it, Tornado! FIX IT NOW!_

_Captian Lofty _

_Leader, Dream Valley Lightning Bolts_


	19. Chapter 19

_Downfall part 2- Wonderbolts Strike out-_

_Excerpts from royal correspondences, in regards to the Wonder Bolts-_

_"Rosaline, I've heard you've been putting together your own little team of Pegasus flyers for Dream Valley, and hope to put them on par with Equestria's finest. I'm telling you Rosaline, the Wonderbolts are the best flyers in all of the world!"_

_-HRH, Princess Celestia, Co-ruler of the Principality of Equestria._

_"You seem very confident in your Wonderbolts, Princess Celestia. Perhaps a little set of war games, to test my elite flyers against the pride of Equestria? Oh, I suggest we make it a surprise attack... after all, you claim Spitfire's team can handle every situation. Care to put your boasts to the test?"_

_-HRH, Queen Rosaline, monarch of the kingdom of Dream Valley_

_"Aunt Celestia, Shining Armor and I question your decision to put the Wonderbolts to the test like this! As always, the Crystal Empire supports your decision, but remember that every royal court's eyes in ponydom will be on the Wonderbolts and Equestria._

_...After all, Equestria's reputation as the center of Ponydom will be on the line..."_

_-HRH, Princess Mi Amore DI Cadenza, empress of the Crystal Empire_

...

The weeks passed quickly, and Lightning Dust began her task re-fashioning a bunch of Pegasus wash-outs into her elite fighting team. All through the days and nights they drilled- flying, performing loops and dangerous aerial stunts. With the aid of Fire Streak, she brought discipline and order.

"Get your flank in gear, rookie!" The stubborn stallion bellowed, at a pony who fell behind on the obstacle course. "I wanna see you double time it flying through those hoops next time!"

"Y-yes sir!" The other stallion apologized, trying to move faster.

Her second in command was ruthless, showing no mercy to the cadets. Rumors had circulated through the team, that Fire Streak had actually _attacked_ an innocent pony on a mission, and had been drummed out of the Wonderbolts for that- but of course, there was absolutely no way to prove it.

"You know he's totally insane, don't you m'am? He has the rest of the team's stallions through fire hoops- Thunderlane almost burned his wing feathers off!" Blossomforth told Lightning, when they were away from the rest of the Squad. "The only reason that lunatic doesn't yell at the mares, is Dream Valley's weird 'female-superiority' laws!"

"He may be a lunatic, lieutenant... but he's _our_ lunatic!" Lightning sighed. "His obsession may just be the key to our victory!"

On the other hand, Blossomforth was the total opposite- caring and controlled, she worried constantly about the other's well being, and was always arguing for less hours training, and more rest for the trainees.

_"Both of them bring something to the table... both balance the team out."_ Lightning Realized, sitting in her office on Dream Castle's upper floor. _"I need both of them, to keep me from going too far to one extreme or the other!"_

As she trained and drilled with these ponies, Lightning began to realize their individual value and worth- even the 'slower' and 'weaker' ones had something to bring to the table- be it intelligence, or strategy, or unorthodox methods. It was something she overlooked when she had been in the Wonderbolts Academy- where she had been so obsessed with raw speed and power.

Looking out the window behind her desk, the mare saw Thunderlane and Blossomforth perform a triple summersault together, using each others weight to compensate for their inability to control the clouds or air pressure here in Dream Valley. Her ponies were learning to rely on their internal strength and power, to replace their now lost ability to control the weather.

_"Is this what Spitfire had been trying to tell me?"_ The mare wondered, pulling on her leather jacket. _"I was so determined to be the best, I didn't see the value of the rest of the team..."_

But as the time passed, the team grew stronger. Seeing the Lightning Bolts were growing stronger, Lightning Dust knew the time was drawing near for her to honor her part of the bargain to Queen Rosaline. The Pegasus mare knew her team would need an edge, as the skills of Spitfire's team was far too superior to the Lightning Bolts. Lightning Dust needed an edge.

...

"Arabus? Arabus, are you here?"

Sneaking out past the borders of Dream Valley, (an easy feat, as she was not an exile like the others were) Lightning Dust had made her way to Canterlot. The back-alley curio shop was right where her friend's letters said it would be, though it took some finding as the Pegasus searched through the maze-like labyrinth of the lower city. Down here, below the pomp and circumstance the wealthy unicorns dwelled in near the castle, the earth pony common folk eked out an existence in their humble stores and bakeries.

Down here in the shadows and gloom, she had entered a dark store filled with dusty old books and zebra skulls. Folding her wings and trotting by the creepy candle-lit decor, the Pegasus found the figure she was searching for behind the counter.

"Arabus? It's me, Lightning Dust!" The mare told the earth stallion, who was pouring over his ancient tomes. "You remember me."

"Ahhh, Lightning Dust!" A harsh voice hissed, as the pony with the white coat and purple braided mane looked up from his books. "You and your little foal friends used to play outside the store I worked in! I have not seen you around, since you were hoof-high to a filly, all of those years ago!"

"You've been busy yourself, Mr. Arabus!" She smiled, glad to see a face from the old neighborhood. "The ponies back in Baltimare told me you had opened a shop of your own in Canterlot! I just didn't expect it to be in such a..." She looked around at the dinginess. "...Colorful setting!"

"Bah, these unicorns! I scrimped and saved up all of my money to open a shop in the better neighborhoods, but what did they do?" He snorted angrily. "Blocked my shop from opening near the castle, and isolated me in this infernal ghetto!" He smiled back at her. "But enough of that, my dear. What can I do for you?"

"I am here to make you an offer, Mr. Aarabus... a chance to make your life better, and get revenge on Equestria for your mistreatment." The mare shook her mane. "My queen's informants tell me you were doing some research on the fabled alicorn amulet!"

"Your queen? Ahhh, so the rumors circulating about Dream Valley are true!" The oriental pony smiled, narrowing his eyes. "Yes, I greatly researched the amulet's power and effects, but I eventually sold it to a unicorn mare, several years back."

"Yes, but you later wrote that you found a method to drain other ponies's energy... to steal their life force." Lightning Dust insisted. "That is a power my queen needs for her plans!"

"Don't talk about that out loud!" The stallion hissed, zipping over to bolt the door. "Yes, I've created a device that can steal a pony's shadow... drain thier energy away to leave them helpless and weak." He picked up an odd looking satchel, and opened it to reveal built in electronics and circuits. "I based it's abilities on unicorn magics, but if I were ever discovered using it..."

"Use it in the service of Queen Rosaline, and you will be handsomely rewarded," Lightning Dust smiled a dark smile. "That... and you'll have safe haven in Dream Valley!"

"Your queen's spies do their job well... learning of both my device, and my disgust with unicorn dominated society!" Arabus snorted. "Count me in on your little plan, my dear!"

...

The wonderbolt academy was a large, windy plateau in the middle of the Equestrian mountains. It was here, that Equestria's finest flyers could train in the most intense atmospheric and weather conditions, to become members of the most elite group of Pegasus in the world.

It was nearly sunset, and Spitfire was hoof printing the last of her forms for that day. Fleetfoot was running the newest group of rookies through their paces, and Rainbow Dash, her second in command, was back home visiting her family in Ponyville. Things were quieter than usual around here, and Spitfire neither liked nor trusted the quiet.

As she put the stack of papers away, she saw Soarin flap by the window, smiling in at her. The mare snorted in disgust, scowling out at her wring pony. Soarin was a loud braggart, and made more out himself than he actually was. Oh, he was indeed very fast (Spitfire could _personally_ attest to that!), but his flight prowess was nowhere near what he told the press.

"Hey, Spitfire! Wanna come join me for an evening flight?" The stallion giggled. "C'mon, it'll be fun!"

_"The fun part is what comes after the flight!"_ She thought to herself, grinning coyly. "All right, hang on! I'll be out in a sec!" Putting the last of her papers away, she saluted the two guards at the door, and headed out. "At ease, boys! We're done here, let's pack it up, and call it a night!"

But as the mare flew out of her office, a KABOOM! struck the nearby runway, sending the Pegasus trainees flying in every direction. The shocked Spitfire reacted instantly leaping into the air, and barely avoiding the debris sent flying in every direction.

"Spitfire, we're under attack!" Soarin called out, zipping overhead. "Some kinda big...thing!... hit the airstrip, and took out the trainees!"

"Evasive maneuvers!" She screamed, as the Wonderbolts scrambled. "If it's the flutter ponies again, use the anti-flutter maneuvers we practiced!"

But even as the wonderbolts got into the air, the twin comets that had stuck the airstrip hit each one of the Wonderbolts at ridiculous speeds, knocking over a dozen of them out of the skies at once. The two blurs -a mare and a stallion- stopped right in front of Soarin and Spitfire, glaring at the two flyers darkly.

"Hello, old friend." The stallion snorted at Soarin.

"F-fire Steak?" The dumbfounded Wonderbolt whinnied.

"Good to see you again m'am!" The mare growled.

"Lightning Dust?" Spitfire snorted. "What the hay-"

It was then she noticed the brown leather jackets with the Dream Valley patches on the sleeves, and saw the team of ponies attacking the trainees and wonderbolts.

"Lightning, you traitorous witch!" The mare screamed, diving straight at the other mare. "You've betrayed Equestria and the Princesses!"

"Yeah? Well, they betrayed me first!" The indignant mare dove out of the way, tackling Spitfire from behind. "I'm just returning the favor for being expelled!"

"I knew you were nuts, Fires Streak!" Soarin yelled, as he dodged a dive by the other stallion. "But attacking you're old buds like this? Not cool!"

"You're all weak! All of you!" Fire Streak snarled, tackling Soarin from behind. "Those ponies who surrendered were traitors! They deserved the fate I was going to give them!"

The two mares and stallions dove and zipped around through the air, dodging kicks and looping out of the way of the wind gusts each pony threw at their opponent. Meanwhile, the trainees were getting their flanks kicked in by the Lightning Bolts, until the Wonderbolts recovered, and joined in the attack.

"Lightning, we need help here!" Blossomforth called to her commander in a panic!"

"I discharged you, because I wanted to teach you a lesson... because I wanted to push you in the right direction!" Spitfire yelled, as she delivered multiple back kicks to Lightning's face in the air. "I wanted you to come back to the academy with a better appreciation for your fellow ponies' lives!"

"I did learn to respect their lives, but from a source other than you!" The mare snorted defiantly, as she tumbled to the ground.

Nearby, Soarin finally landed a spinning kick to Fire Streak's jaw, knocking him out of the sky.

"Whoah, total wipeout, dude!" He chuckled, looking down at the unconscious Pegasus. "Ya should've stayed in Dream Valley!"

"Give it up, Lightning!" Spitfire called out, landing near the downed pony, nodding towards the battle behind her. "You're Dream Valley rejects are no match for the Wonderbolts!"

"You Wonderbolts fight with skill and finesse, Spitfire!" Lightning Dust smiled up at her. "But my team? We fight to win!"

As if on cue, a chilly wind blew across the field, and all of the Wonderbolts and trainees fell to the ground, weakened. One by one, thier shadows were ripped right out from under them, leaving each of the ponies feeling drained and lethargic.

"What- what have you done?" A disbelieving Spitfire whinnied weakly, barely able to stand.

"Taken away your will to fight... left you weak and helpless." Lightning sneered, standing over the beaten mare. "Face it, Spitface... the Lightning Bolts have won!"

All around them, the Dream Valley ponies subdued both trainee, guards, and Wonderbolts alike. Once they were all tied up, Lightning Dust turned to her troops, and congratulated them.

"Well done, my friends! You provided the perfect distraction until our little trap was sprung!" She nuzzled Blossomforth and Fire. "I am proud to serve with you all!"

"Strip every Wonderbolt of their costumes! And take every trophy, flag, banner, award, and plaque as war booty!" Blossomforth told the others. "We shall take the Wonderbolt's glory as our own!"

"After that, burn every building to the ground!" Fire snorted angrily. "Leave nothing here standing so all of Equestria knows our victory is complete!"

"We will do no such thing, Fire!" She snorted, glaring at the stallion. "Blossomforth's orders are humiliation enough!"

"As you wish, m'am." The stallion grudgingly agreed.

"W-what about us?" Sorain asked weakly. "Y-you gonna end all of us, too?"

"No... I'm going to spare all of you. Not a single life will be taken from our little raid here." Lightning snorted. "But you'll all spend the rest of lives as lethargic, shadowless Pegasus. You'll never again be the flyers you once were!"

"The Wonderbolts are finished! Princess Celestia will retire your entire order in disgrace!" Fire Streak agreed. "Even if a new group were to be trained to replace you, the order's reputation is forever sullied!"

After clearing out all of the buildings, the Lightning bolts loaded all of their loot into large chests, and slowly lowered them away from the Plateau. Unseen by the Wonderbolts, the Dream Valley ponies quietly slipped Arabus away from his hiding place, where he had been hiding since the conflict started.

"Lightning... please..." Spitfire pleaded weakly, as Lightning got ready to take off. "I don't know what magic you used to pull this off... but don't leave the Woderbolts... don't leave my team... like this!"

"Why should I help out a team, that I wasn't good enough to be a part of?" Lightning turned away from her in disgust. "Take a warning to Celestia and all of the kingdom- _don't mess with Dream Valley!_"

The angry mare lowered her goggles, and took to the air after the rest of her team.

...

"Your plan was a success, Lightning Dust!" Blossomforth excalimed. "At the urging of the queen's allies at the royal Canterlot court, Celestia and Luna have dissolved the Wonderbolts, and turned defense of the kingdom over to the Royal guard!"

The two mares were standing in the Lightning Bolts's new trophy room, staring at all the trophies and ribbons swiped from the academy. Lightning was staring ahead at the Wonderbolts uniforms, now mounted in glass cases all around the room.

"Funny... I always wanted one of these suits, but never like this." She turned to face her wing pony. "And what about Arabus?"

"Took his reward, and made for the north. Turned down our offer of safe asylum." Blossomforth shrugged. "Said he had more shadows to drain, now that he knows his machine works!"

"I hope we haven't created a monster." Lightning shivered. "Well, as long as Equestria never learns he was the cause of our victory!" She looked back, and saw Blossomforth was still standing there. "Anything else you wanted to say, lieutenant?"

"Are you sure we did the right thing, m'am?" Blossomforth asked. "I mean... if we had beaten them fair and square... but this..."

"We did what we had to do, lieutenant." Lightning Dust snorted. "The past may have belonged to the Wonderbolts... but the Future, Blossomforth, is ours for the taking!"

….

_"B-but Tornado! I thought we won those trophies and outfits from the Wonderbolts in a contest of skill! And my ancestor was responsible for the Creation of the shadow-stealing demon, Arabus?_

_Ohhhhh, I need to sit down... suddenly I don't feel so proud of my heritage any more..."_

_-Captian Lofty Dust, Dream Valley Lightning Bolts_


	20. Chapter 20

_Heart and Snows, part 1_

As I step outside of my tent flap, the hellish winds of the northern wastes tear through my white mane. I can barely see where I am going, as I trot over towards the large hut at the center of our village. I am about to say my farewells, and I cannot wait to embark on the greatest adventure of my life.

I am a member of the Snow Pony tribe, a proud nation of equines who make our homes amongst the ice and snow. Descended from the proud crystal ponies of the Equestrian age, we are as proud of our past and ancestry, as we our of our harsh and grim present. Our relationship with the other pony herds vary- we treat others, based on how we ourselves are treated.

As I enter the tent of our tribal chief, I shake the snow and ice from my purple coat. My white snowflake cutie mark is the only thing on me, that doesn't stick out in this endless sea of white.

"Are you sure this appointment is what you desire, Powder?" Toboggan asked me, her voice like a hissing whisper. "Dream Valley is a place spurned by the other herds!"

"But not by our tribe, my lady." I reply, bowing to my chief with respect. "I am certain I can make a difference as our tribe's ambassador!"

"Then go with our blessing, young unicorn!" Winter Wish, our village shamaness, agrees. "To you we entrust handling of our tribe's affairs in the warm lands, and wish you success in representing us there!"

"And I shall send word ahead of your arrival!" Sno-Glow, our tribe's representative to the rest of Ponyland. "Furthermore, Chilly Breezes and Mittens, two of our best scouts, shall see you to your new post in Dream Castle!"

"T-thank you, elders!" I bow a final time, before turning to leave the tent. "I know that I shall not fail you!"

Trotting back out of the hut, I consider my tribe and it's misfortunes. We are well adjusted to this bitter cold, but food has been scarce this year, and we've had to cut deals with the other herds. We do indeed kill the predators who hunt us in this harsh climate, though we do not eat the pengrims and polar bears we kill. Instead, thier furs line the sides of our tents, and make wonderful material for our coats and parkas.

It's a harsh life we lead, but not an unbearable one.

As I walk back to pack my things, two other snow ponies trot over to speak to me.

"Don't worry, Powder!" Chilly Breezes assured her. "We shall successfully get you to Dream Valley!"

"Yes! We shall be happy to protect you on your way south!" Mittens agreed, patting me with her hoof. "Nothing shall hurt our dear Powder, not even the dark lord himself!"

Soon, we are ready to depart the camp, and almost every equine in the tribe is there to see us off! Whinnies of farewell and good luck fill our ears, as we trot out through the main gate, and the village soon vanishes behind us.

It is not long, however, before we are approached by a little filly who had been waiting just outside the village wall. She had waited until we were far away from the tribe to speak to us, and I am not at all pleased to hear what she has to say!

"Aunt Powder!" The little one calls out, galloping us to us. "Please wait for me!"

"Jingle Jangle?" Mittens asks in shock, seeing the small pony trot up to us. "What are doing out here alone, child?"

"I wanna go with you!" My niece exclaims. "It's boring in the village, I wanna see the rest of the world!"

"I don't know..." I reply uncertainly. "... your mother would be very worried!"

"Don't worry, Powder!" Chilly Breezes assured me. "She'll be perfectly safe traveling with the three of us!"

"yeah, and we'll see her safely back to the village, right after we get you to Dream Castle!" Mittens agreed.

With a sigh, I give in to the three's pleading. "Oh very well, Jingle Jangle! You may join us!"

"Yaaaaay!" The filly exclaimed, happily galloping around us in a circle. Picking up her own small bag she had packed, Jingle Jangle happily joined our group.

It wasn't long before the four of us were on our way- beginning our long trek towards the south. The drifting and blowing winds do not bother my two companions, but they cause me a great discomfort. My father was a stallion from Hoofkaido, and his unicorn pony blood leaves my immunity to the cold greatly weakened.

"Aunty Powder!" Jingle Jangle calls out, seeing me falling behind. "What's wrong?"

"Couldn't you ladies please slow down?" I plead, falling behind in the snow. "I can't keep up with the two of you in all this cold!"

"Oh dear, I was afraid this would happen!" Chilly Breezes exclaimed. "Couldn't you just use your unicorn magic to shield yourself a bit?"

"Ohhh! Good idea!" I exclaim, creating a force field with my horn. The projected aura drives away some of the cold, and I can better keep up with the other two.

As we continue walking, Jingle Jangle looks up at me.

"Aunty Powder, we're going through the lands of the ancestors, aren't we?" She pleads to me. "Please, tell me about the Crystal Empire!"

I smile at her, knowing she has heard these stories a thousand times. Still, we need to pass the time, and I feel like reciting the old stories the tribe's loremaster once told me.

_"In the ice and snow of the frigid north, once stood a beacon of hope and prosperity. The Crystal Empire, a shining civilization of high culture and incredible magic, was the home of our great ancestors. They played and reveled in this paradise, their happiness powering the crystal heart, which served to protect them from all harm._

The day came when King Sombra, a vile unicorn with a heart of shadow, enslaved the crystal ponies, and filled their hearts with sorrow. Sombra was defeated at first, but the empire vanished from sight for a thousand years. But the day came when the crystal princess, along with the six harmony bearers, found the Crystal Heart deep within the royal castle, and destroyed the evil unicorn once and for all.

The crystal heart was our protector, nourished by our herd, and providing the power that protected us in return. Our great empire fell to evil forces, and the crystal heart was lost to the ages. It is the hope of the Snow Ponies, proud descendants, that the heart may one day be reclaimed, and peace restored to the lands!"

"Does the crystal heart sill exist, aunty?" Jingle Jangle asks me hopefully. "Can we make life good for our tribe again?"

"I don't know child." I reply, sighing. "I doubt we ever will know."

As soon as we come out of the mountains, I can see the snow gradually clearing away, giving way to a shifting and flowing sea of crystal.

"Ohhh, pretty glass!" Jingle Jangle exclaimed. "What is it?"

"The jewel sea..." Mittens whispered ominously. "... the place from which our ancestors once ruled!"

We step out onto the crystalline surface, and it ripples like water beneath our hooves. Trotting across the clear, fluid-like surface invigorates us snow ponies, and making the three of us more energetic at every step.

"Why, Powder!" Chilly Breezes suddenly yells. "What's happened to your coat and mane!?"

Looking down at my reflection in the crystal, I see I am now partially translucent and glowing. My mane is done up in a fancy, aristocratic style. And I feel more alive than I ever have in my life.

"I'm not the only one changed by the experience, Chilly!" I reply, pointing my hoof towards both her and Mittens. With a gasp the both stare at each other in amazement. Their manes are now done up in fancy buns, and their coats shine like newly-polished gemstones.

"I-I can't believe it!" Mittens gasps in shock. "W-we're crystal ponies!"

"Ohhhhh! I'm all pretty!" My now glowing niece exclaimed, hopping and skipping about on the crystalline surface. Her mane done up like a princess's, her coat shining like a diamond... oh, if only Jingle's mother could see her now!

As the three snow ponies dance about, I can see the wonder in their eyes... the pleasure of seeing the glorious state of our ancestors, restored to us! Much as I know it has to be done, I hate to be the pony who let their expectations down.

"It's an effect of the crystal!" I snort, reminding them of where we are. "Our bodies are reacting to the power inherent in this place!"

"Whatever it is, it feels wonderful!" Chilly Breezes exclaims, practically gliding on top of the jewel waves. "I'm so glad we came this way!"

I stare down into the crystal as we walk, and the touch of my hoof creates images in the jewel sea... memories, from the age of the Empire, embedded in gemstone waves. Jousting mares in armor, little fillies and colts petting small sheep, a crystal stallion in a jester's outfit playing a flugal horn. It is the culture that our ancestors once hed... the culture that we, in the present, have lost.

"Aunty Powder, what are those pictures?" My niece asks me, pointing down with her hoof.

"That is our own tribe, child, as we would be." I reply sadly, as an image that looked like Jingle Jangle floated by. "This is the life that was stolen from us, and we shall never have again!"

"The feeling here is incredible!" Mittens exclaims. "I don't understand why the tribe doesn't move back-"

Mitten's question is quickly answered by a loud BOOM!, as the ground cracks open, and a wave of lava poured out in front of us! The four of us jumped back, as the river of magma circled us, corralling us into a tight loop.

"Aunty Powder!" Jingle Jangle wailed, terrified. "What's going on!?"

It was at that point, that three large humanoids made entirely of lava swarm up out of the crevasse, riding on stone-like surfboards, and dripping and oozing magma from every pore.

"It's the lava demons! Run!" Mittens wails, as Chilly Breezes and I moved to protect Jingle Jangle. " Hurry Powder! Get your niece out of here!"

"What is this, Crystal Ponies?!" The lead demon roars in disbelief. "Capture them! They may know the location of the crystal heart!"

"Yes, general Sludge!" the other two demons growled, diving towards us on their lava boards.

Ignoring my shock at the name of that sacred treasure, I run with Jingle Jangle, even as my two guards move to defend me. The lava demons sent a wave of lava at us, which my two snow pony companions quickly froze with a wave of ice. Blast after blast of lava was deflected by ice chunk after ice chunk, launched by my companions at the ferocious beasts.

Finally, one of the lava demons surfs right in front of me, trying to cut off Jingle and I's escape.

"End of the road, Crystal Pony!" The one called Sludge chuckles evilly. "You've got nowhere to-glllk!"

The lava general is cut off, as an icy blast from my horn freezes him in a large block of ice. Jingle and I then dash over the hills trying to move away as fast as possible, moving beyond the lava demon's reach.

"Foolish mare! We still have your friends!" One of the demons laughed, having trapped Chilly Breezes and Mittens in a circle of fire. "Now bring us the crystal heart, or these two will be melted to slag!"

"Oh no!" Jingle Jangle wailed, looking back in terror. "What're we gonna do now?"

"We need to get to the royal oasis!" I tell her, as we gallop away. "From there, we can go with a trade caravan to Dream Valley!"

And perhaps Queen Majesty can help me, I pray, find an artifact I'm not even sure truly exists...


	21. Chapter 21

_Heart and Snow, Part 2_

"Right this way, ambassador Powder!" The guard motioned Jingle Jangle and I forward, though the hallway and into the luxurious, specious throne room at the very center of Dream Castle.

"Oh, why thank you, my good sir!" I smile back at him politely, and slowly trot forward, the silent little filly two steps behind me.

It had been a harrowing journey across the mountains for the two of us, following our narrow escape from those lava demons. After a long and arduous trek, we had returned to what most ponies would consider civilization, and made our way south. Although Jingle Jangle and I encountered no further monsters on our trip, the encounter had left the two of us on edge, jumping at every shadow along the way.

I must give my young niece credit, as she has shown maturity and strength beyond her years throughout this terrible experience. I just hope Mittens and Chilly are holding up as well... prisoners of those terrible and ferocious villains!

Returning my thoughts to the present, I trot out into the largest room I've ever seen, in any kind of structure! Posh red carpeting, glass chandeliers. and shiny mirrors adorning the walls- this place puts our native village to shame!

On the throne before me sits her royal highness, Queen Majesty, surrounded by her courtiers and ladies in waiting, She's every bit the mare all of the stories made her out to be; both regal and beautiful, with an inner strength and determination not seen in these lands since the reign of Princess Celestia.

Out of the sea of unfamiliar faces present in the room, there are only a few I recognize; Twilight Shine, the royal court magician who visited our wintry home a few years back, and Sweet Stuff, chief baker of Dream Valley's vast kitchens. I had seen a picture the overly kind and gentle mare, in a mare's home journal magazine a trader brought to our village. I had best tread carefully in the alliances I make, until I am quite certain of who is who.

"Your highness, I present Ambassador Powder, representative of the Snow ponies of iron spire peak!" Pretzel Twist, one of the queen's emissary from Fort Rainbow Dash, introduces me. Jingle Jangle and I trot past the purple unicorn with the orange mane and pretzel cutie mark, and bow before the monarch.

"Ah, Ambassador Powder! We have been expecting you!" The Queen inclines her head towards me. "You are most welcome here at Dream Castle! I am, however, most concerned about an attack on your person while on your way to the castle here!"

"I am afraid so, your grace!" I told her sadly. "My entourage and I were surprised by a terrible foe in the Crystal Sea, and little Jingle Jangle here and I were the only ponies who managed to escape!"

"Aunty Powder and I got away, but the lava demons took our friends!" My niece blurted out. "We made it to the Royal Paradise, and caught a ride here on a stallion's hay wagon!"

"It was a very unpleasant ride, your highness!" I grimace. "Two of my companions were taken by those fiends, and I wish to see to their rescue as quickly as possible!"

"Indeed, my good Powder! An attack on a group of ponies, traveling under safe conduct protection to be emissaries to Dream Valley, is an insult to the very honor of our kingdom!" Majesty snorted angrily. "Your friends must be rescued, and I shall send members of Dream Castle's herd to aid you!"

"The demons were after something called the Crystal Heart." I explain. "They threatened to vaporize Chilly Breezes and Mittens if we didn't bring it to them!"

"Hmmm, I've heard stories of the Crystal Heart, it was the treasure of the crystal ponies!" Twilight tells us thoughtfully. "There are very few who would know what happened to it, however."

Then you should seek out the Moochick for answers, for there is no wiser being in Dream Valley!" Twist advises. "I hear he has gone into the gnome caverns beneath the forest, to visit his own kind!"

"Prince Fireflight and Sports Time?" Twilight scoffed. "My good Twist, I'm not so sure that's a good idea!"

I roll my eyes at the other diplomat's suggestion, amazed she did not volunteer herself. I know who this Pretzel Twist is- a Fort Rainbow Dash Acheron, who wanted to make a name for herself by being the one to establish diplomatic ties to Dream Valley. Coming from a line of candy cane makers who got their start in Ponyville, the house of Twist was well known for it's ability to twist words and politics to their will. They are a family of silver tongued smooth talkers, who could convince a foe to willingly jump on the end of their spears.

"I don't know, Twilight! I believe it is an excellent idea, getting my brother something to do besides just sitting around the castle!" Majesty noted, the queen's eyes lighting up as she talked. "Perhaps we should also send a mare to guide our good snow mare on her search, as well!"

"Your highness, I believe it would be best if you sent two stallions to guard her!" Pretzel Twist suggested. "Perhaps your younger brother, and his football-loving friend?"

"A wise suggestion, Twist!" The queen agreed. "But what mare would agree to accompany her?"

"Ummmm, excuse me, your highness?" A timid voice called out from beside the throne, as the blue mare with a purple mane stepped forward. "Uhhh, I really don't mean to interrupt your conversation, but if it's not too much trouble, I would really like to go along with Miss Powder on her adventure."

"You, Sweet Stuff?" Pretzel Twist asked the timid earth mare, looking her over. "Are you sure about that? I mean no offense, my dear, but you hardly seem the adventuring type!"

"But that's why I have to go along!" The jewel-eyed mare insisted. "If I go along to help Powder rescue her friends, I might actually become braver and stronger along the way!"

"I too question the wisdom of your request, my dear." Queen Majesty agrees, tapping her hoof against her throne. "But if your heart is truly set on going, I shall not stop you."

I shake my mane, not believing what I am hearing. I'm going on a dangerous rescue mission, off to rescue my friends from certain doom... and my chosen companion is Dream Valley's resident doormat pony?

The horsemaster must _really_ hate me today.

...

"May fortune smile on you, Miss Powder!" Twilight Shine exclaimed, nodding her head. "Have no fear for you niece, either, as we shall care for her until your return!"

"Thank you, great Majesty." I bow to the queen, then turn and trot away from the throne. "I am truly grateful to have your valuable assistance!"

"Wow! We're going on an adventure together! That's so amazing!" The blue mare exclaimed, in an excited voice barely above a whisper. "I'm really very grateful you took a pony like me along with you, you're so very kind!"

I merely nod at the mare's ramblings, as she thanks me a over a dozen times for bringing her along. I try to avoid looking at her gemstone eyes- those things always seemed a mockery of us crystal ponies- and try to concentrate on what we have to do next.

"We should go upstairs, and collect the stallions." I suggest to her, trotting towards the door that leads to the castle's living quarters. "The sooner we can be on our way, the better!"

"Good idea! You're really smart to think of that!" She smiles at me, genuinely complimenting me on my idea. "Of course, even being Dream Valley's head baker, I've never actually met the prince myself! It is a big castle, after all!"

Following the directions one of the guards gave me, we soon arrive at an apartment across the hallway from the queen's private chambers. Raising my hoof, I politely knock on the door.

"Excuse me." I call out, tapping on the wooden door. "Is anybody home?"

"Jus a minute!" A masculine voice calls out. I hear the sound of four hooves trotting over, and then the door in front of us swings open. "Hello? Yes, can I help... you...miss...?"

Suddenly, I am struck speechless. In front of me stands the tallest, most handsome piece of stallion flesh I have ever laid eyes on. Purple coat, lavender mane, and a lightning bug cutie mark decorating the most gorgeous flank in all of Ponyland... I cannot help myself from staring at this royal dish! And the thing that's making my heart skip a beat is _he's staring right back!_

"Hi-hi..." I sputter out, trying to regain my composure. "My name is Powder, and you're sister the queen told me to ask you for help with problem..."

"Oh, my sister sent you?" The stallion bowed to her. "My name is Fireflight, prince of Dream Valley. Whatever you're problem is, I am most certainly at your service."

As the two of us continued to stare at each other stupidly, a blue stallion with a blonde mane trotted out of the back.

"Hey Fire! The popcorn's ready! We gonna watch the movie, or-" The athletically built spony suddenly sees the two of us, and smiles. "Oh, sorry! I didn't know the prince had invited such lovely mares over!"

"Oh, hello! My name's Sweet Stuff!" She trots in past me, and goes right up to greet the stallion with the soccer ball cutie mark. "It's such a wonderful pleasure to meet you!"

"Name's Sports Time, Dream Castle's top soccer player!" He walks around her, looking at her flank. "And I gotta say, Miss Sweet Stuff, your name really suits you!"

"Oh, why thank you!" She replies sweetly, the innuendo going right over her naive little head. "It's really nice of you to say that!"

"Now, what can we help you fine fillies with?" The prince asks, slipping his gold crown onto his head.

"Get your things, we have a long walk ahead of us!" I sigh, motioning towards the door. "I'll explain on the way!"

...

It long before our little party of four has left the castle, and we are quickly on our way. While Sweet Stuff and Sports Time are happily chatting on the road behind us, I decide to grill the spoiled royal brat walking beside me.

"So your friends were taken by the lava demons, and they want you to find the crystal heart, eh?" Fireflight asks me, after I had explained the whole situation to him. "Yeah, the Moochick is the best creature to go to, in situations such as these!"

"Ah, yes, Dream Valley's magic 8-ball gnome they go to, whenever they have a problem or a question!" I snort, as we trot along through the mastificent forest. "If you ponies didn't have him, you probably wouldn't be able to put your horseshoes on straight!"

"Now that's not really very fair, Powder!" The prince protests. "These are dark times we live in, Dream Valley takes all the help we can get!"

"And what help does a spoiled prince need, especially one who has nothing to do but sit around, while his sister runs everything?" I sneer. "What responsibilities do you have to worry about, while you and your jock friend back there are busy searching for the next good time?"

"Wow, you're being really hard on a pony who's trying to help you!" He snapped back. "What's your problem, anyway?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to seem ungrateful..." My ears droop, as I look away from him. "I guess I'm just bitter about a pony who got to grow up in a nice warm palace, while I and my friends were raised in an icebox!"

"I think it's more likely you're worried about your friends, and it feels like we're just wasting your valuable time." He looks up, smiling at me. "Do not worry, we'll help you get them back!"

While the two of us were talking, Sweet Stuff was busy getting to know the prince's jock friend.

"So you played for the dream valley soccer team?" Sweet Stuff chirps in her sugary tone. "Wow, that's amazing! I just love games!"

"Well, most of the other herds in Ponyland call it football. But yeah, I love soccer!" Sports Time continued. "I was the best player on my team in school, and now I represent Dream Castle in the inter-herd games!"

"Wow, I'd love to come and see you play sometime!" She replies, trotting a little bit closer to him. "I bet you're the best player in the world!"

"How could you know that?" He answers with a chuckle. "You've never even seen me play!"

"As nice as you are, I can't imagine you being a bad player!" Sweet Stuff replies, her jewel eyes glistening at Sports time. Looking back, I simply roll my eyes in disgust.

"Boy, those to are hitting it off well!" I chuckle, trotting up so Fireflight and I are out of earshot.

"Ehhh, that's Sports time for ya!" He tells me with a laugh. "Always has his head in the game!"

"And what about you, my good prince?" I ask him. "What's your story?"

"Oh, nothing special..." He sighs. "Oldest son of the previous Queen Majesty, never intended to be the heir, just the spare, you know the deal."

"So they provided know way for you to serve your herd?" I ask. "How sad. I was trained to public service to the tribe from the moment I could walk."

"They only kept me around, in case  
something happened to my sister!" He shakes his mane. "I've always wanted to help the ponies in my herd, if only I could be given the chance!"

As we were talking, that the prince leads our group to a small cavern in a thicket, virtually hidden from view by the undergrowth.

"This is it, ladies." He tells us, straitening his golden spiked crown. "The entrance to the underground gnome kingdom. We should be able to get some answers down here!"

"Oh my! It looks so dark down there!" Sweet Stuff whinnies. "I'll go down first if you want, so none of you get hurt!"

"Wait, I don't think that's such a good-" But before I can continue, she has already charged headlong into the cave. With a sigh, the rest of us lower our heads and follow. I light the pathway in front of us with my horn.

"Ugh, this is nasty!" Sports Time complains, as we past through passageways of brown dirt and gnarled roots. "Do we even know where we're going down here?"

"Don't worry buddy!" Fireflight reassures him. "The moochick left us a map, telling specifically how to find him!"

"And you have the map with you?" Sweet Stuff asks, looking back at us.

"Nope! Memorized it before we left!" The prince smiles. "I know exactly where we're going!"

"Relying on a stallion's sense of direction?" I groan, putting my hoof against my forehead. "Great, we're doomed."

The four of us continue through the long and winding maze of tunnels, until we come to a large chamber with a crystal clear pool in the middle. Amazed, the four of us bend over, staring at our own reflections on the reflective surface.

"Wow, I can't believe how clear the water is down here!" Sweet Stuff comments. "It looks clean enough to drink!"

"Hey, this pond wasn't on the map!" Fireflight exclaims, looking around at all the tunnels.

"I knew it, we are so lost!" I snort , trotting back the way we came. "Stallions are totally worthless when it comes to finding their way!"

"Hey! You can't accuse me of not asking for directions!" He replies defensively. "There's nobody around to ask!"

"Please stop arguing, you two!" Sweet Stuff pleads, following us out of the cavern. "You can't solve anything by just fighting!"

"Oy, it's gonna be a really long day!" Sports Time groans , trotting after us. "Let's just go and try to find the moochick!"

The three of us are so wrapped up in our own business, that we fail to hear four forms rise from the pool after we leave, and trot their way back out of the caverns...


	22. Chapter 22

_Heart and Snow, part 3_

As the four of us continue our journey downward, we began to notice the walls and ceiling of the cave we were

trotting through began to smooth out, as if they had been carved by intelligent hands. Several torches lined the walls, and we saw ornate and beautiful carvings that only grew more intricate as we went down. Soon, the tunnel opened into a large cavern, and we ponies found that we had reached our destination.

"Look everybody!" Sports Tyme exclaimed. "We've found the gnome village!"

All around us, the diminutive humanoids worked, toiling away on their machines, crafting the soil and stones of the earth, and cultivating the precious seedlings that will grow into Dream Valley's mighty trees one day. The bearded male gnomes, clad in their blue button over work overalls, worked side-by-side with the females, clad in their earthen skirts and conical hats. Seeing our approach, one of the gnomes approached the spot where we stood, and greeted us.

"Welcome to the dell dweller village!" The little bearded man smiled, bowing to us. "How may I be of service, noble ponies?"

"Thank you, good sir!" Fireflight explained bowing back. "We are seeking a gnome called the Moochick, would you know where we might find him?"

"But of course!" The gnome exclaimed, gesturing towards one of the nearby mushroom-shaped houses. "He is currently visiting with his nephew Garth... be sure to knock before going inside!"

...

"Come in, the door is open!"

After knocking, we enter the colorful mushroom shaped house, and find the Moochick sitting at a small table. Beside him sits a beardless gnome in a greenish blue tunic, a very indignant look on his face.

"Ohhhhh my my my, Dream Valley Ponies!" The old wizard exclaimed, stroking his beard. "What brings you down here, so far away from your forested home?"

"Hmph! Probably here to curry another favor from you, uncle!" The younger gnome scoffed. "These ponies simply can't seem to get along without your help!"

"Garth! Mind your manners!" The Moochick chided angrily. "I apologize, ladies. My young nephew can often speak before he thinks!"

"It's quite all right, we fully understand." Fireflight responds diplomatically. "Mr. Moochick, allow me to present my companions Sweet Stuff, Sports Tyme, and Powder. We've come here to seek your aid, in a matter that is troubling Dream Valley."

"A troubling matter, hmmmm?" The old man noted, leaning back in his chair. "Well well well, let's hear all about it, then!"

And so, I opened up, explaining every little detail of my misadventure since leaving home. I tell him about the abduction of my friends, and the harsh demands the lava demons placed on me. As I shared every nuance and detail with the wily old wizard, his brow only seemed to furrow, and his expression grew darker.

"The crystal heart, you say? Hmmmmm..." The sagely old wizard exclaimed, clasping his hands together. "That was indeed a wondrous artifact, charged with the love and joy of the crystal ponies, and used to protect the kingdom from any outside threat."

"So it did exist!" Fireflight exclaimed a smile spreading across his face. "I knew it did! But if the heart protected the empire, how in the world did it ever fall?"

"When Princess Cadence abandoned her subjects to protect Shining Armor, they lost faith." The old gnome explained sadly. "There was nothing to power the crystal heart, and therefore nothing to protect the Crystal Ponies."

"But what happened to the crystal heart after the empire fell?" Sports Tyme asked curiously. "Clearly, the crystal ponies didn't take it with 'em!"

Turning away from us, the old wizard seemed hesitant to respond for a few moments. Finally, he looked up, and revealed a long hidden fact to us.

"Cadence gave it to Princess Luna, who had her earth pony smiths re-cut the gem into the heart of Ponyland." The Moochick sighed. "It now lies in the caverns below the jewel sea, where it maintains the magical foundations of Ponyland."

"The jewel sea? Oh my word!" Sweet Stuff exclaimed, her gemstone eyes going wide shock. "It's been right there, under the lava demon's nose the whole time!"

"But... how is it protecting Ponyland?" Fireflight asked, his face showing the same puzzlement I felt inside. "Without the love of the crystal ponies to power it, it's merely a lifeless rock!"

"The heart of Ponyland is a battery. All it needed was a new source of energy." Garth blurted out, earning a dark look from his uncle. "The stone is now powered by the elements of harmony. Your lunar Princess infused the powers of the elements into the gemstone for safekeeping."

"WHAT?! Luna put the Equestrian elements into _our_ tribe's sacred treasure!" My face contorted into a look of rage. "How dare that alicorn tramp mess with a relic like that!"

"Now listen here, little missy!" The Moochick glared at me angrily, his burning gaze powerful enough to make even this snow pony shake in her horseshoes. "Princess Luna may have made many mistakes, but a tramp she was not!"

"Mr. Moochick, I am sorry for any... misunderstanding." Sweet Stuff whinnied apologetically, stepping in between the two of us. "But we need to know how to rescue Powder's friends!"

"My good ponies, the answer is already close at hand. Merely reflect on yourselves, and send the many thoughts that result after the lava demons. They shall soon be seeing things your way!" The old wizard said knowingly, a soft twinkle in his eye. "But now, if you will excuse me, I have a stubborn nephew I need to convince not to do something foolish!"

"But it is not foolish, uncle! I love her more than anything!" The younger gnome protested. "I need to rescue that fair maiden from the castle in the clouds, that her father imprisoned her in!"

"Lad, you've never even seen the girl! You saw her image on an old tapestry in the craftsmen's guild hall!" The Moochick countered. "Besides, I knew her father, and he was one of our order's most powerful wizards! The old coot probably riddled the sky palace with traps!"

"You just don't understand, uncle! You've never understood me!" The young gnome protested. "I really don't even understand why you adopted me as your nephew!"

The two humanoids continued their argument, raising their voices as the four of us trotted out of the hut. Leaving behind the gnome village and it's inhabitants, we start our way back up the tunnel.

"Well, that sure was a whole lot of help!" Sports Tyme grumbled. "What the heck did that crazy old coot mean, anyway?"

"Now Sports time, the Moochick's meaning is never clear right away!" Sweet Stuff chided him. "Twilight always told me if you think about it long enough, you can unravel his riddles."

"But does he really have to be so cryptic?" Fireflight grumbled. "Those poor snow ponies are in danger! We don't have time to solve a gnome's enigmas!"

As we trotted our way back towards the lake, we began to hear several voices talking to each other, and heard the sounds of several dozen sets of hooves galloping about in the cavern we had left behind. As soon as we had come upon the strange underground lake again, our eyes met a truly unbelievable sight.

"Great Horsemaster!" Fireflight gasped. "What in the world?!"

"Good heavens!" Sweet stuff whinnied. "Where did they all come from?"

"Oh wow!" Sports Tyme said in awe. "There's so many of them!"

And it was at that instant, that I knew what the Moochick had meant, I knew how to free my friends!

...

In the underground kingdom of the lava demons, King Levan was growing impatient.

"Sludge! Has that blasted pony brought the crystal heart to us yet?" The lave king roared, glaring down at his diminutive servant.

"Oh, not yet master!" The smaller lava demon replied, trying to placate his wrathful master. "But the lookouts did see several ponies enter the jewel sea not too long ago! Perhaps they are bringing the heart to us right now!"

"Took them long enough!" The cruel lord of molten rock roared. "I should just go ahead and execute those- wait, Sludge... did you just hear something?"

It started as a low rumble at first, but soon picked up into a mighty rumble, that made the very foundations of the crystal caves shake and tremble. Suddenly, and entire herd of Sweet Stuffs, Sports Times, Fireflights, and Powders came pouring into the caverns shaking the very ground in a mighty stampede.

"Foolish Ponies! How dare you invade my domains!" Levan roared, zapping pony after pony with his fiery lava. But for every one he vaporized, two more seemed to appear it their places. "Sludge, help me! I'm being overwhelmed!"

"You're not the only one, master!" Sludge wailed, as he desperately tried to throw lava orbs at the invaders. All over the caverns, lava demons roasted and boiled the hundreds upon hundreds of look-alike ponies that poured in from every entrance and opening, but the endless stampede continued to pour in at an alarming rate.

So distracted were the fiends, that four ponies were easily able to search out the dungeons, and free the captives right out from under their molten noses. By the time Levan and his goons had eviscerated the last mirror pond duplicate, my friends and I were long gone from the crystal caverns.

...

"I knew you'd come to save us, Powder!" Mittens thanks me, as we embrace outside the Dream Castle. "I told Mittens you'd never let us down!"

"She's right, old friend!" Mittens agreed, smiling. "It was very clever of you to use that reflecting pool to create an army of Pony clones to distract Levan's armies!"

"Oh, girls, it was nothing!" I tell the two of them, as I hug Mittens and my Niece goodbye. "Now, you three be careful on your way back to the mountains, you hear?"

"Bye bye, aunt Powder!" A tearful Jingle Jangle called out, as she followed the other two away from the castle. "I'll miss you!"

Life here at Dream Castle has settled into a wonderful existence. Oh, we have our ups and downs, to be sure. But these ponies I now live among seem to have a knack forgetting out of trouble. My diplomatic skills have strengthened times between the snow pony tribes and Dream Valley, and I like to think has life better for both of our herds.

Sweet Stuff and I spend a lot of time together these days, as she has become my best friend in this castle. When she's not hanging out with me, my jewel-eyed is at Sports Tyme's side, and I suspect I'll be serving as maid of honor at thier wedding soon. As for Fireflight and I, we still try to see each other every week. The prince and I are very busy these days, and have decided to take things slowly.

And what of the heart of Ponyland, you ask? While we snow ponies are not exactly happy with the fate of our holiest artifact, we are at least happy it s helping all of Ponykind now. While we might never again shine in the heart's light as crystal ponies, I may at least take comfort in the fact that the heart's light now warms the spirits of all ponies everywhere. I like o think our ancestors would be proud!


	23. Chapter 23

_Ramblings of a Fool..._

Hello there everybody, my name's Fizzy! I'm a unicorn mare from Dream Valley, and it's so nice to meet all of you- well, I think this counts as meeting, even though this is a letter. Hey Tornado, does a letter count as meeting someone? Wait, are you already writing everything I'm saying down? No, don't do that! This isn't how I wanted to start! Oh well...

Anyway, like I was saying... I'm Fizzy Pop, a cute blue pony with a pink and green mane, and the twinkliest jewel eyes in all of Ponyland! I love my friends, like Wind Whistler, and Gusty, and Shady... and I love to see my friends laugh and smile! My special talent is mixing but the yummiest sodas and ice cream floats in all of Dream Valley, and I use my unicorn magic to make them all bubbly and fizzy... just like me! My ice cream sodas are the hit of the Satin Slipper Sweet Shoppe!

Me and the other ponies, we've been though a lot together! One time my friends got covered in some icky stuff called smooze, and they turned all grouchy and mean! Another time a mean old witch turned us all old and wrinkly, and the big brother ponies had to rescue us from her carnival! I always seem to end up on the craziest adventures, I was even there when our personalities got all messed up by the frazits! You wouldn't believe all the crazy stuff I've been through!

But... there are some things I don't like about myself, too. I'm not a clever pony, I've never been very smart or bright. I've always made silly little mistakes, and forget to do stuff, everything I usually say is really really dumb. I've always been like this, as long as I can remember. Gusty always calls me a scatterbrain, cause I'm always tripping over my own hooves. I can't even use my unicorn magic properly! I try to levitate things in my fizzy bubbles, but I keep dropping and breaking stuff! When I tried to float one of my chocolate shakes across the room, I ended up spilling it all over poor Shady's head!

My friends... they are all so much cooler than me. Wind Whistler is so much smarter, and Gusty is so much braver! Oh, I could never be the pony they are, but I'm just glad to be their friends. I do know I make them unhappy by being my dumb self, though. So I try to make them happy, by being even sillier. It feels great to make them laugh... even if they're laughing _at_ me instead of laughing _with_ me!

My aunt Snuzzle told me that when I was a baby, that my mom was pushing me around Hoofkaido in a stroller. She didn't watch where she was going, and she ran into another pony. I tumbled out of the stroller and hit my head, and after I didn't act like other baby ponies anymore, mom didn't want me anymore, and gave me to Aunt Snuzzle in Dream Valley.

It's okay, I understand why mommy didn't like me. I'm not a very clever pony. Hey, maybe if I can show other ponies I'm smart, maybe mom will want to see me again! Tornado, why did you look at me like that when I just said that?

Anyway, I grew up in Dream Valley, and I made a lot of friends as a filly in school! There was Shady, who always ha something sweet to say to anybody and Wind Whistler, who always cared so much about other ponies feelings. We first met on the first day of fillygarten, and they were so nice and shared their lunches with me! In elementary school we took turns having sleep overs at each others places, and we would tell each other ghost stories, and do each others manes!

_"Those curls look lovely in your hair, Fizzy!"_

_"Thanks, Wind Whistler, you're too sweet!"_

_"I dunno, I think you both look silly!"_

_"Oh yeah? Look whose talking, Shady!"_

We totally loved hanging out! I remember the time we made smores together at phillyscout camp, and the time we put makeup on Wind Whistler's brother when he was asleep. Growing up with those ponies was soooo much fun!

But... there were other ponies I grew up with, ones who weren't so nice. Truly, a really mean earth filly, used to like picking on us. She and her two best friends, Magic Star and Sparkler, used to love teasing me all the time, making fun of the fact I'm not very smart. They would tell me a colt liked me, then leave me totally embarrassed when I'd go to ask him about it. One time, when no grown-up was around, they even had Sparkler dangle me out one of the tower windows in the castle, with her unicorn powers.

_"Please put me Down! I'm afraid of heights!"_

_"Not until ya'll say 'A'hm stupid!' Say it, or I'll drop y'all!"_

_"All right! All right! I'm stupid! I'm stupid!"_

Wind Whistler and Shady always stood up for me, and beat the other girls up... but I really wish they hadn't done that. I really don't mind when Truly steals my gemstone eyes and hides them, or Magic Star kicks mud into my face. After all, the girls were only trying to get me to accept the truth that I'm dumb.

After all, I'm not a very clever pony.

It was hard being picked on by bullies, but at least I had my friends to make me feel better. They made it bearable when I was tricked into going into the boys room, or leaving my lunch out to be stolen, cause Truly told me some hungry faeries wanted to eat it. I kept falling for all of their dumb tricks, but the other girls always tried to make me feel like I wasn't any different. I was always happy to have them around!

But one day, Wind Whistler and Shady disappeared. They went out one day to pick some flowers, when I was too busy with my homework to go with them, and they never came back when suppertime came. I was sad that my friends had gone away, and I felt really lonely that I had nobody to play with! Whole weeks went by, with nobody having any idea where my friends had gone. Until one day, Some soldiers from the south finally brought Wind Whistler and Shady home... but they weren't the same friends I remembered anymore.

A bunch of really smart scientist monkeys- they were called the gizmonks, I think- they wanted to know how a pony works, They took my friends to take them apart, and not put them back together the same way. They tested shady to how scared a pony could get of stuff, and locked her in a bunch of dark and scary places and did a lot of mean things to her. Poor Shady came back a fraidy cat, and still jumps in fright at the sight of her own shadow. And Wind Whistler... the monkeys wanted to find out how a pony's brain works, and they... the opened her head up, and did some stuff to her brain that made her really smart. I dunno what it meant, but I remember what one of the unicorn doctors said when he looked at the stitches on top of her head...

_"Intelligence centers were unintentionally enhanced, but emotion centers have been seriously damaged, possibly removed entirely."_

Those mean monkeys! Wind Whistler went from being the nicest and sweetest pony I know, to going around saying 'sentimentality is illogical', whatever that means. She used to be a silly scatterbrain like me, but now she's all serious and stiff all the time. At least she's still my friend, though! She told me she stays my friend cause "I won't be satisfied until I learn how a how a pony with no neural activity whatsoever manages to stay breathing, let alone carry out other day-to-day activities!" I wonder what she's talking about...

And Gusty... she's a really good friend, too! She and I made friends in high school, when I accidentally floated her homework into the trash, and she threaten me until I got it out and apologized. She finally drove those bullies away, I've never seen Truly to run that fast from a unicorn blast! Gusty's mom told me she had been like that since she was a filly, when she saw her dad threatened by a troll. Trying to protect her dad, little Gusty stood up to that mean old troll! She's never been afraid of anything since. Good old Gusty, she's the bravest mare I know!

My family's really nice, too! I met by hubby, Salty, at a moonlight dance on Captain Barnacle's ship. He was the only stallion who didn't look at me like I was strange or something, and even asked me to dance! All his friends kept asking why he started to date an idiot, but he kept telling them I was a very special pony. Salty... my cute little blue sailor stud muffin! I just loved the angry look other mares give, when they realize that cute little flank with boat cutie mark on it, belongs to this 'idiot pony'! Though I can't blame them for calling me that...

... after all, I'm not a very smart pony...

I try to ignore all the other ponies who call me stupid... I put on a smile, and try to giggle every time they call me an idiot. I'd rather trip over rugs and make ponies laugh, or say something silly, and have all my friends roll their eyes and giggle. Oh, I like it better when the others enjoy the sodas and malts I mix up. But they seem to like it better when I mess up, and they can all laugh at dumb old Fizzy's silliness. I'm not mad at them for wanting to laugh at me, though. I'm happy that I'm able to make them happy. After all, what else is a stupid pony good for?

Tornado, did you write everything down? Tornado, why do you look so sad? Don't worry, I'm not sad or anything, everything will be okay...


	24. Chapter 24

_Visiting the Humans- Part 1_

_Three hundred years ago, during that dark age when between the fall of Equestria and the modern day , Ponyland was an even darker and gloomier place that it is now. But while the world was a dark and scary place for us ponies, it was even more so for the poor human settlers who had poured in over the rainbow portal from earth. Traveling to the abandoned Manehatten region that had been allotted to them by the Ponyland Confederacy, these brave pioneers hewn their Frontier towns out of a rugged wilderness._

_But this new world was a foreboding place for the first few generations of humans, filled with monsters and magic they have never before seen in the world from which they had come. And so the humans did little to venture outside of their little villages and homesteads. It fell to adventurous- and ambitious- mare merchants from Bright Valley, to make the dangerous runs to the Manehatten region. Members of the Secret Surprise guild, so-called because nobody knew what good they would bring on their visits- these entrepeneuring young earth ponies helped keep early human civilization alive in Ponyland._

"Come on, Secret Star." The purple mare with a pink mane called out. "If you're going to be making journeys like this on a regular basis, you really need to learn to keep up!"

"I-I'm trying to, Star Dazzle!" The younger pink mare with a turquoise mane gasped out, trotting at a brisk pace. "It's just I've never made one of these trips before!"

Trotting along the road between the human lands and Bright Valley, the two members of the Secret Surprise guild hurried along towards their destination. The two large, blanket-like saddles they wore had protected them from the rain and weather, but seem to weigh heavily on their poor backs as they made their way along the treacherous route. Two large, pink keys hung from their necks- symbols of the trading guild to which they belonged.

"Ugh, this is terrible." Secret Star complained, chipping her hoof polish along the jagged stones. "Sleeping in the dirt all night, hiding from chimeras and giants every step of the way. _Why_ are we doing this again, exactly?"

"Because, we're the only merchants bold enough to bring the humans the goods they need." Star Dazzle replied, just as she had the last dozen times her younger companion had asked. "Besides, humans will pay through their noses to get some of the things we have!"

"What are humans like, anyway?" The apprentice merchant asked curiously. "I've heard they kind of resemble tall hairless monkeys that wear clothes."

"That's an accurate description, if a bit rough." The older trader replied, nodding. "though are much more polite than a monkey, and far more sanitary."

"Are they very friendly?" Secret Star asked, shivering. "I've heard they can be as mean and scary as ogres!"

"They are far more reasonable than ogres, trust me!" Her companion replied, shaking her mane. Now get ready, the village is up ahead."

The two ponies approached the wooden walls of the stockade, several felled trees cut and tied together into a defensive wall. Two guards armed with crossbows marched along the inside of the stockade walls, clad in light armor shirts and half helms. Spying the ponies, one of them motioned to the guards at the gate.

"Halt, who goes there?" The guard called out, pointing his crossbow through the open hole. "Be ye friend, or foe?"

"Two pony merchants from Bright Valley!" Star Dazzle called back. "We come to trade goods, we come as friends!"

The guard nodded, and soon the gates swung open, allowing the two mares entrance. As they trotted inside, several women and children came running up, shouting and pointing in excitement. At the sight of all of them, Secret Star's eyes went wide in shock.

"My word! They all look so different from each other!" The mare whinnied, looking around at all the people who came running up. Small ones, tall ones, ones with brown manes, and ones with blonde. Some wore breeches and tunics, while others wore long, flowing dresses. "They're as diverse a species as we are!"

"Oh wow, the talking ponies again!" An older gentleman exclaimed. "Here with new things!"

"Did you bring me a dolly?" One younger child asked pleadingly. "Oh, I do so want a new one!"

"I could use some new gardening tools!" A housewife called out, her arm held in the air. "Or maybe some new cooking utensils?"

"Hello, good human!." Star Dazzle called out, as the crowd formed around them. "There's plenty here for every one, so no need to push or shove!"

"All right, so I guess this is where we get the goods out, huh?" Reaching for Star Dazzle's key with her mouth, Secret Star used her mouth to stick it into a keyhole on the side of the large blue saddle the older mare wore on her back. As the key clicked in the lock, the saddle swung upwards; revealing a large hole in the other ponies back!

"Enchanted saddle of holding, our guild's trademark secret." Secret Star smiled. "Nothing beats a small pocket dimension in a saddle, for transporting a large supply of goods on a long trip."

Pulling a brown, wind up clock out of the saddle, she handed it to Star Dazzle . "All right, people! What will you trade me for this fine piece?"

Several of the humans crowded in, making bids and holding up items to trade. Finally, one man offered up a silver ale tankard.

"Here How about this? Brought from the other world by my grandfather, it was! Crafted by the finest silversmiths in Lower Saxony!"

The two mares nodded, and the trade was made. Soon more and more goods flowed from the two mares' saddle; silk clothing and spices from Hoofkaido, farming tools and weapons from Fort Rainbow Dash. The humans happily handed over whatever they had, in exchange for whatever the ponies could give them.

Secret Star noticed, however, that there was one human male who stayed back from the others. Dressed in a pair of breeches and a brown jacket, the gentleman in the white wig stood out from the other, more medieval-dressed humans. He stood back and watched the ponies from afar, staring at them and the swarm of humans intently.

Finally, the two ponies had exhausted their supply of trade goods, and the village folk happily dispersed with there newfound treasures.

"Three sets of table silver, a smoking pipe, and a new leather cap." Secret Star noted, as the two ponies reloaded their saddles and shut them. "Good grief, what are we gonna do with all of this human stuff?"

"Trade it to Dream Valley, I suppose. They seemed to be obsessed with human goods." Star Shimmer replied, as she led the younger pony down the dusty dirt road towards one of the human buildings. "Now come on, we'll stay here at the the village inn for the night."

The two ponies entered an extremely well built, Tudor-style building, with two floors and many glass windows on every side. Inside, the two ponies were greeted by the sight of several hand carved wooden chairs and tables, and a roaring fire in the hearth.

"Wow, this place in amazing!" Secret Star exclaimed, looking around in wonder. "What's it called again?"

"The Whinnim inn, I've stayed here several times during my previous trips to this village." Star Shimmer replied. "It's very comfortable, and has been built to accommodate pony travelers, like ourselves."

"Good day ladies, welcome to the Whinnim." A middle aged woman in a blue dress and ruffled cap walked in, greeting them. "Ah, Miss Star Shimmer! Back for another visit, I see?"

"Yes, it's a pleasure to see you again." The older mare bowed politely, turning to her companion. "Secret Star, this is Missus Wash 'n Clean, the proprietor of this establishment."

"Miss Wash 'n Clean?" The other pony asked, confused.

"Oh, that's not my real name, dearie! I just use it with ponies because they always complain human names don't mean anything." The woman explained. "Star Shimmer here suggested it because I wash and dry all the linen and sheets."

It was at that point, that the two mares saw the strange fellow from the square who had been staring at them walk in. Seeing the two ponies, he silently walked over by the fireplace and sat down, still staring at them.

"Miss Wash n' Clean, who in the heck is that odd fellow?" Secret Star whispered, looking back at the stranger. "He seems a bit different from everybody else here."

"Ah, he's a sailor from the other world, my good pony." The innkeeper explained. "Says he accidentally crossed over the rainbow doorway after being shipwrecked. Never did give his name, but he paid for his room in silver."

"Thank you very much, Miss Wash 'n Clean." Star Shimmer bowed to her again. "We'll be staying in my usual room for the night."

"Certainly, ladies." The innkeeper replied with a smile. "I'll have your rooms made up at once."

After the two mares had taken eaten and rested, they took a seat by the fire as the evening's chill set in. As they were warming themselves by the hearth's glow, the odd stranger walked up to them, and spoke.

"Excuse me, ladies, I'm sorry if I was bothering you earlier by staring." The gentleman bowed, removing his tri-cornered hat. "But, are you ponies actually intelligent?"

"Well, being how you're from the other world, I could see how you might think we're not!" Star Shimmer replied with a laugh. "Yes, we are as intelligent as you humans, and gifted with the power of speech, as you are."

"I see, I apologize for my ignorance." He replied, sitting down on a chair across from them. "And I've heard from this people, that you ponies rule this land. What kind of society do you have?"

"One based on mutual respect, and the bonds of the herd. Loving our family and allies, and slaying our enemies." Secret Star sorted. "One based on what once called 'friendship', I suppose."

"And those people out there, the ones grabbing at the things you were giving away." The sailor shivered. "They were like savage animals, swarming around you to get what they could. While you ladies are so gentle and refined."

"Why thank you, my good sailor." Star Shimmer replied, blushing. "But the humans of Ponyland are very nice. I would hardly call them 'savages'."

"Perhaps so, but those beasts behaved like they belonged kept in a pen. why, just the other day, one of the locals painted green attacked me, and tried to steal my jacket."

"Hey now! I've already told that was a goblin who tried to steal your clothes." Miss Wash 'n Clean told him, peeking in from the kitchen where she was slicing carrots. "Don't go spreading bad rumors about us Manehattenites, now!"

"Such a wonderful place, this land is. I must be sure to tell my old friend, Mister Swift about it, should I ever find my way home." The sailor sighed, standing up. "Well, I've taken up enough of you fine ladies' time tonight. I must retire to my sleep." He bowed to them, and gently kissed both of their hooves.

"Wait a minute." The blushing Secret star exclaimed, calling out to him as he ascended the stairs. "You never did tell us your name!"

"Gulliver, my good mare." The world-weary sailor called back as he entered his room. "My name is Lemuel Gulliver."

"Well mister Gulliver." Star Shimmer sighed, as he closed the door to his room. "I hope you can find you war home one day…"


	25. Chapter 25

_The Ponlyland Games, Part 1_

From all over the Ponyland Confederacy, they had come... from the columned halls of Fort Rainbow Dash, to the lovely chalets of Misty Mountain citadel, pony messengers had come to hear one of the most important announcements in all the land. They crowded into the roads and alleyways around the capital, where both messengers and sports fans alike crowded around the castle of the six princess ponies.

At a private office in the palace's eastern turret, three mares were seated at a long table, going over all of the paperwork in front of them. They had many options to weigh and consider before this night was done, and the three were determined to make their decision carefully.

"We have received an application from every citadel in Ponyland!" Rosette, the yellow pony with the orange mane, and triple ribbon cutie mark, announced. "Our choice must be weighed carefully, lest we make a wrong one!"

"I'll say we have to choose carefully!" Skippity Do, the turquoise mare with a red mane and jump rope cutie mark, snorted. "We anger the wrong community, and the warlords of Ponyland will have us boiled in oil!"

"Ladies, this committee has never allowed anybody- be it the Equestrian authorities of the olden days, or the feudal noblemares of today- influence our decision!" Tic Tac Toe, a yellow equine with a green mane, stated firmly. "The decision of what city will host this year's games is ours, and ours alone!"

The three mares were the Equestrian Games inspection committee, the council who decided which of the great Ponyland city-fortresses would host this year's great sporting competition. Every pony herd from across the continent wanted their community to host the games, and it was up to these three inspectors to separate the golden oat candidate locations out from the loco weed.

"How about Hoofkaido this year?" Skippity Do asked, opening the city's file with her hoof. "They greeted me with a kabuki drama during my visit, and read one of the most beautiful haiku in my honor!"

"We just chose them eight years ago, it's too soon!" Rosette snorted, looking at another file. "What about Bright Valley? They held a parade for me during my inspection cure, and the city's council of guilds offered to foot the bill for the stadium's construction!"

"The only reason Bright Valley wants it, is to bleed the pony visitors who come in for the games dry with their shoddy merchandise!" Tic Tac Toe grumbled. "We need something different this year... perhaps one of the pony kingdoms outside the Confederacy, like Saddle Arabia? Or maybe Mustangia?"

One of the few surviving traditions left from old Equestria, the games were a much anticipated event throughout the confederacy every four years. Galloping races, stallion wrestling, and many other sporting events severed as an experience that could bring everybody in the confederacy together. It was a time for all of the herds to remember their common Equestrian heritage, and was one of the most popular events on the equine calendar.

"If we want something different, then why not Flutter Valley?" Skippity suggested, pulling out a folder she had prepared personally. "Their capital of Los Pegasus is a city right in harmony with the tropical rainforest surrounding it! Surely such an exotic locale-"

"Do you actually think Queen Rosedust would allow her jungle treetop home to be desecrated by building a stadium?" Tic Tac Toe snorted critically. "Or the xenophobic Flutter ponies would tolerate all those pony visitors trampling through their homes and gardens?"

"And the snow pony tribes of the Purple Mountains host the winter games almost ever four years." Rosette commented. "So choosing them for the summer games would be seen as bias!"

The four exasperated mares knew the burden that rested on thier hooves- the proud Equestrian tradition they were expected to uphold. The games had been created as an event to celebrate the friendship of the three tribes after the founding of Equestria, and had been carried out every four years thereafter, without fail. Every city in the kingdom, and even many a nation beyond, desperately sought to be the host for the games!

The Games had finally been outlawed just after the fall of Equestria, as Princess Thesodosia disregarded them as "A Ponygan spectacle". But only a century later saw the games revival, as the Princess Ponies sought to use them as a means to create a sense of unity amongst the herds. The games had grown into the Confederacy's most popular sporting event since then... one than every pony looked forward to with an eager heart.

The Equestrian committee sat in quiet contemplation for several minutes, before Tic Tac Toe finally spoke up;

"Ladies... what about Dream Valley?" The green maned pony spoke up. "They've never even hosted the games before!"

This caused the other two mares eyes to go wide in shock.

"Tic Tac Toe, are you out of your MIND!?" Skippity yelled. "You want to send the most important sporting event in the Confederacy... to those meat eating, human loving, bloodthirsty, war mongering savages? The Dream Valley ponies are liars and cheats- the fair competitive spirit of the games will be lost on them!"

"To say nothing of all the Pony warlords who will be mad that we didn't choose their city!" Rosette exclaimed worriedly. "They'll have us sent to a glue factory if they find out we passed them over for Dream Castle!"

"I know, ladies... but doesn't it seem unfair that Dream Valley's best athletes have been for forbidden to compete in Equinedom's greatest sporting event?" The jewel eyed mare pointed out. "Sure, they have their own version of the games- the Pony Olympics- but how can the other herds boast they are the best, when our athletes have never faced Queen Majesty's athletes?"

"Are you sure this isn't just about your Daughter, Baby Tic Tac Toe?" Skippity asked cautiously. "We are all well aware that she was adopted by a mare in Dream Valley!"

"This has nothing to do with that- and I'd thank you to leave my little girl out of this!" Tic Tac Toe snorted. "I couldn't take care of her properly after her father died, and I have my reasons for sending her to live there!" The green mare shook her mane. "Now, as I was saying, what do you ladies think?"

The other two mares looked at each other for a moment, before turning their heads back, and nodding. "I hope you know what you're doing!" they both said in unison.

,,,

The crowd gathered outside the window held their breath, as the three mares emerged from the widow, and trotted up to the microphone. All of them had different hopes and dreams on what community's name the games inspectors would utter... but none of them were prepared for what Tic Tac Toe said next.

"This yer, the Equestria Games go to... Dream Valley!"

"Wait, did I just hear…" A disbelieving messenger asked.

"This is an outrage!" A noble stallion snorted. "How dare you!"

"Oh no! Those Dream Valley barbarians will probably eat the other athletes!" A fainting mare shrieked, before passing out.

"Queen Majesty will probably want humans to compete!" Another pony called out. "Just what we need, monkeys playing sports!"

"Uh oh..." With a heavy sigh, the three mares realized that this was only the beginning of thier troubles...


	26. Chapter 26

_The Ponyland Games, Part 2_

"My queen, please be serious!" Gingerbread protested angrily. "You cannot actually be considering letting them hold their silly games here in Dream Valley!"

Mere hours following the Ponyland games committee's shocking announcement, Queen Majesty had called an emergency session of her privy council, in order to decide how the best response to the Confederacy's shocking offer. Of the four mares present, opinions were divided on how to respond.

"I have to agree with Lady Gingerbread on this one, great Majesty." Ribbon, the blue unicorn with a ribbon cutie mark, agreed. "Those ponies have snubbed and ignored us year after year, why take an interest in the 'filthy barbarians' now?"

"But darling, don't y'all think this could be the _perfect_ opportunity to make friends with the confederacy ponies," Heart Throb, the pink Pegasus with a double heart mark, countered. "we could win 'em ovah bah makin' a good a good impression on them."

"Both valid points, my little ponies," Majesty nodded, looking to the other mare present. "good Shady, what is your opinion?"

"Well gee, I don't know..." The pink earth mare whimpered, her perpetual depression coming though in her whiny voice. "Maybe we should give them a chance, seeing how they're being so nice to us, and all."

"Shady, are you out of your mind?!" The white mare glared at her friend through her twinkling gemstone eyes. "Did you forget these are the herds that exiled out ancestors from Equestria? Who laugh at us behind our backs for being omnivores? And what kind of message will it send to our human friends, if we fraternized with ponies who hold them in contempt?"

"Rally now, Gingahbreahd," Heart Throb snorted, flexing her wings. "don't y'all think your bein a bit of a drama filly?"

The queen leaned back in her throne, and closed her eyes for a few moments, lost in her own thought. Finally, the unicorn ruler of Dream Valley stood up, and trotted forward to the privy council table.

"Ladies, after hearing your advice, I have come to a decision." She told them. "Your queen shall allow the Ponyland games to be held in Dream Valley this year."

"But my queen!" Gingerbread protested. "Surely you are not going to let all those foreigners swarm into Dream Castle?"

"I said I was going to let them hold the games within the confines of our kingdom." Majesty corrected her. "I didn't say they'd be coming directly to the castle."

"But your highness, where will the stadium be built, and the athletes and spectators housed?" Ribbon inquired. "The Bonnet outdoor stage is far too small to acc ommodate such a large spectacle."

"The Ponyland games are a celebration of the history and culture of Equestria, is it not?" The queen smiled. "I have an idea on how to best pay respect to that heritage, and impress our Confederacy visitors, as well."

...

"All right class, that's it for today." Cheerilee called out, as the students packed their pencils and notebooks into their saddlebags, and trotted out of the classroom. "Remember your presentations on the reign of king Sombra are due on Thursday, and you have a math quiz on Friday. See you tomorrow!"

As the last of the foals and colts trotted out the door, Applejack and Spike came dashing into the room, excited looks on their faces.

"Cheerilee, did hear the news?" The little dragon gasped. "You're not gonna believe what happened!"

"Oh, hello you two." The earth pony teacher greeted them, gathering up her papers. "What's going on that's got the both of you so excited?"

"They just announced that Dream Valley will be hosting the Ponyland games this year," The orange mare replied, as soon as she caught her breath. "the whole cast le is buzzing with the news!"

"The games are going to be held here?" The pink earth pony asked, her ears perking up. "That sounds wonderful! I always wanted to go to the Equestria games when I was a teacher in Ponyville." She thought for a moment. "Hmmm, I'll have to in corporate the games into my lesson plans in the weeks to come. It would reall good idea to prepare my students for the upcoming festivities."

"That's the other part of why we wanted to come by, and talk to you." Applejack told her nervously, scratching the back of her neck with her hoof. "The queen has chosen an interesting theme for the games presentation. One that she's asked for the three of us to help with."

"Really?" Cheerilee cocked an eyebrow quizzically. "What kind of presentation could the three of us antiquated Equestrians possibly help with?"

"Majesty has decided that she wants to re-create the Equestrian village of Ponyville." Spike replied, surprising the earth pony teacher in front of her. "From the buildings, right down to reenactors a s the historical ponies."

"And she wants us to help as advisors, to ensure with the displays authenticity." AJ snorted, rolling her eyes. "Sounds crazy, doesn't it?"

...

Later that evening, Queen Majesty had summoned Twilight Shine to accompany her to the treasure vaults beneath the castle. As the two unicorns trotted down the stairs, the royal court mage could not stop gushing over her beloved monarch's decision.

"My queen, I am most happy with your decision to host the games." Twilight whinnied enthusiastically. "Reconciling with the other herds is an event that is long overdue, and these games could be just the ticket."

"Mark my words Twilight, I still don't trust the other warlords." The queen snorted in contempt. "Next to the capital, we are the most powerful kingdom in all of the herds. This may be nothing more than a ploy to spy on Dream Valley, and at tempt to steal our secrets."

"My queen, perhaps we should have just a bit less suspicious." The pink unicorn advised. "This is the day we all celebrate our heritage, after all."

"That's why I'm allowing this whole event in the first place, good Twilight." Majesty replied, as the two walked down into the tunnels beneath Wind Whistler's labs, and the castle dungeons. "But it is to you I am entrusting a most important task for these games."

The two mares came to a large set of bronze doors, which Queen Majesty opened by inserting her horn into the circular keyhole. Trotting inside, Twilight noticed several of Dream Castle's greatest treasures resting on the tables throughout the room. In one case rested the golden heart locket, in which slept the Rainbow of Light. In another case lay the golden horseshoes, recovered from the wreckage of Paradise Estate. But on the pedestal the queen and her court mage now approached, rested a glowing golden cylinder, that projected glittering star patterns all over the walls.

"Being the Pony of wishes and dreams coming true, I trust you know what this object is?" Queen Majesty asked, the light from the artifact glowing on her face. "Perhaps you have even seen it a few times before."

"The Starlight Lantern, one of Dream Valley's greatest treasures." The pink unicorn replied in awe. "I channel it's power when I grant whishes and weave the dreams of the castle's sleeping ponies."

"The lantern was a gift from the Moondreamers, the fairy folk of Starryup, who craft the dreams of the mortal races." Majesty explained. "Twilight, I want you to use it to put on a starry display in the night skies, for the opening ceremonies of the games."

"Are you sure that is wise, my queen?" T wilight asked, uncertain. "If something should happen to the Starlight Lantern, I'd be powerless to fulfill my nocturnal duties."

"Yes, I'm quite certain it will be safe." Majesty reassured her. "In fact, I want you to invite Miss Cheerilee's class to view the lantern, and see how you carry out your special talent."

"Well, that doesn't sound so bad." The pink unicorn gave a sigh of relief. "After all, how much trouble could a bunch of school colts and fillies possibly be?"


	27. Chapter 27

_The Ponyland Games, part 3_

"Wow, can you believe this place?" The small purple dragon asked, as he and the two ponies with him looked at their surroundings. "It's looks just like home!"

"I don't know, Spike," Cheerliee replied, staring up at a recently finished building. "This Ponyville seemed to lack the... eccentricities of our old home."

"Aw, quit complainin', you two." Applejack snorted, as two work ponies carrying a stack of boards trotted past them. "They did a really fancy job, considering how little time they had to throw this whole place together."

Having hastily completed the reconstruction of Ponyville, Dream Valley's construction teams had turned the great meadow outside Dream Castle into a very odd looking community. They had asked Dream Castle's three 'living relics' to have an early look at their finished product.

The three guests, however, were greatly uncertain about exactly what they were looking _at_.

"Is that supposed to be... Sugarcube corners?" Applejack asked, trying to stifle a Laugh. "It looks like it's made out of cardboard."

"Oh my goodness," Cheerilee giggled, as they approached the flimsy looking building. "well, this should be interesting."

But as the three walked inside, they were taken back. Candy cane columns, lollipop paneling... it was a sight that triggered something faint, deep in the recesses of their memories

"Wow, I-I can't believe how accurate their work is." Cheerilee commented, staring at the candies and cakes behind glass. "Those stallions did a really fantastic job."

"Tornado did say they copied everything off of old pictures from the castle archives. they had all the old files and pictures from the library and the school." Spike snorted, looking around the room. "Thank an old student of yours who documented _everything_ in town, Cheerilee."

"Yeah, I remember that fiasco." Applejack scowled. "That little school paper of yours embarrassed everybody in town, Cheerilee. You never should have put Filthy Rich's brat in charge of the Foal Free press."

"Now that's not fair AJ," Cheerilee protested, as the three sat down at the stools in front of one of the tables. "I tried to see the best in my students back then. And besides, may I remind you of whose _little sister_ was one third of the notorious Gabby Gums?"

Before Applejack could reply, Two ponies suddenly emerged from the back, trotting up to the table where the three sat. The stallion was a yellow earth pony with an orange mane, and the mare had a blue coat and Cupcake cutie mark. The three guests eyes went wide, stunned at the sight that brought a wash of memories over them.

"Mr. and Missus...Cake?" Cheerilee whispered in shock, almost forgetting where she was.

"Hell-o, good visitor." The mare greeted them, in a cheerful voice and tone that matched what the mare would have sounded like had she actually spoken english. "My name is Cupcake, and this is my husband, Mr. Cake."

"We're so happy to have you visit Sugarcube Corners." Her mate continued. "This was the sweet shop we owned in ancient Ponyville."

"Hey, why do they sound so funny?" Spike asked, noticing how jerky and stiff the Cake's movements were. "And how come they talk to us like we're not even here?"

"I noticed it too," Cheerilee agreed "is something wrong with these reeinactors, AJ?"

"I don't think these _are_ actors, you two." The orange mare replied, banging her hoof against Cup Cake's metal side. "I think these are some of Wind Whistler's clockwork gizmos she cooked up."

"Clockwork, you mean the things Megan calls robots?" Cheerilee asked, as the two automatons continued their spiels.

"Yep and probably programmed by Tornado with historical stuff, too." AJ replied.

"Ugh, that'll really be boring," Spike rolled his eyes. "That dude might know his history, but he can't write his way out of a paper bag. He makes everyone sound as stiff and boring as he is."*

"..It should be noted that we had to rebuild this place several times," Mr. Cake noted. "Why, once it even got destroyed by a rampaging dragon."

"I already know that, you nimrod." Spike snapped back. "I _was_ that dragon."

The three of them left the store, and began walking around the streets of Ponyville. Near the town's square mayor mare gave a speech, while a cross-eyed mail pony flew in circles overhead, scattering the mail out of her bag left and right. All around them, the tour guides cheerfully droned on.

"Here at the quill and sofa shop, we offer the most unique combination of items."

"My sister Lotus and I, we always try to make da ponies who come to our spa feel welcome."

"Hi there! My name is Roseluck, but you can call me Rose. My friend Lily and I love all the unusual things that happen in Ponyville, though Lily sure faints a lot."

"Can you believe this?" Cheerilee rolled her eyes. "Their lips aren't even matching up with what their mouths are saying. And their dialogue sounds like a university professor's lecture."

"Looks like Tornado and Wind Whistler blew it again." AJ agreed, shaking her head at the clattering of the gears and cogs from the figures walking around. "These things will probably scare more colts and fillies than educate 'em."

"Still, that one figure did have a point," Spike added. "Lily _was_ always fainting at the drop of a hat."

"Yeah, remember the Parasprite invasion, or when she thought Zecora had cursed you guys, AJ?" The dragon put his claws on his cheeks. "The horror! The horror!"

The three visitors then came upon the Ponyville library, and Spike simply stopped and stared. The other two noticed Spike freezing up, and followed his gaze to the large tree.

"Oh my, it looks just like the old library!" Cheerilee exclaimed, and she ad AJ trotted up to the doorway, and looked inside. "They even got the furniture right."

"Salutations, my name is Twilight Sparkle, and I'd like to welcome you to the Ponyville library." The purple unicorn automaton greeted them. "As a student of Princess Celestia, I just love to see other ponies learning and reading, so be sure to stop by here often during your stay."

"Oh, Twi, if only you could see yourself now." AJ grinned, looking at the clockwork pony. "Ya look even worse than the time you went bonkers over not being able to find a friendship problem."

"I remember that whole mess, she had half the town chasing after her silly doll." The pigtailed teacher sighed. "Lucky I was in the classroom grading papers at the time."

"Yeah, Twilight could cause some trouble sometimes." Applejack looked up the stairs, towards the second floor. "I remember when Rarity and I stayed here for a sleepover one stormy night. Twi kept looking in her books for what was would make the perfect sleepover, while little miss prissy and I kept fighting all the time. We ended up Wrecking Twilight's room with a tree branch."

"So it was you two who ruined her first slumber party." Spike cocked an eyebrow. "I was away in Canterlot that weekend. Princess Celestia was meeting with some dignitaries from the east, and they really wanted to ee what an earth dragon looked like."

"Spike, you would be a dear, and get me that book with the Ponyville statistics?" Twilight Sparkle asked looking up on the shelf.

"Oh, sure Twilight, hang on a sec!" Spike began to climb the shelf, when it suddenly occured to him what he was doing. "Oh, sorry... forgot myself for a moment." The small dragon noted sheepishly.

The three of them walked out of the tree, and headed towards the outskirts of town. There, the sight of a familiar red and white trimmed school house stood. This time, it was Cheerilee's turn to stand silently, staring into blank space. As the schooll bell rang overhead, the mesmerized schoolteacher slowly trotted towards the door.

"Hey Cheerilee, are you all right?" Spike asked in a worried tone. "Hey, Cheerilee!"

The inside of the classroom was just as she remembered it- yellow and green walls, the brow desks and seats. Many of the students she recognized sat in their desks, going about their 'homework' in stiff, jerky motions- the earth pony teacher could only stare at her surroundings in sadness, even as the automatons began their lectures.

"Hello, and welcome to our school."

"My name's Dinky Doo, and I'm so happy to meet you!"

"My name's Diamond Tiara, and it must be amazing for you to meet me!"

"Wow, this place looks really, really good!" Applejack noted, as she and Spike walked into the room. "But where's the Cheerilee robot?"

"Wind Whistler thought it would be a good idea to keep our doubles out," Spike replied "due to the fact it might be a bit 'disconcerting' for us, still being alive, and all."

"So the students explain the classroom and the time period," Applejack noted, looking around at faces she had seen in centuries "a little weird, but it works."

It was at that point, that three familiar fillies trotted up to Cheerilee, the steam hissing out of thier hydraulics as they came to a stop.

"Excuse us, Miss Cheerilee?" Scootaloo asked, looking up at the pink earth pony. "But we were wondering..."

"... do y'all have any ideas haow we could get our cutie marks?" Apple Bloom finished.

"Holy horsemaster, it knew her name!" Spike yelled in shock.

"A pony recognition spell." AJ smacked her hoof against her face. "Tornado you idiot!"

Cheerilee suddenly turned, and galloped out of the schoolhouse, leaving the other two standing with the creepy automations. Sweetie Bell then came trotting up to Applejack, and spoke in a dull monotone;

"Cutie Mark acquisition desired," the Sweetie Bot said to the weirded out mare. "Desire input to complete objective."

"Get away from me, you walking scrap pile!" AJ snorted in anger, galloping after her friend. "Cheerilee, wait!"

As Spike followed the two ponies out, he could have sworn he saw a sad look on the faces of the three drones.

_I really must be imaging things._ The dragon thought with a shiver.

...

"Cheerilee, are you all right?" AJ asked, catching up with the sullen Cheerilee at the gazebo.

"They're all dead, Applejack." The mare snorted, scowling as she turned around the face the other pony.

"What?" The orange mare asked. "What are you-?"

"Your sister, my students, all of our family and friends," The teacher snorted angrily. "we were just talking about our lives in Ponyville like they were happy memories. But all those ponies are gone, Applejack! _"Every pony we ever knew is dead._"

"Cheerilee, we've already been though this, when Hydia sent those demonic illusions to trap us at hollow shades." Applejack put a hoof on her. "Besides, Spike and I have had to learn to let go of the past, too."

"You two had centuries to deal with the loss," Cheerilee snorted back "I had all those years, and that life, stolen from me!" She looked back towards the schoolhouse, remembers all of the little fillies and colts she had taught over the years. "I never got to see the bright young stallions and mares grew into. I never even got the chance to say goodbye."

"But Cheerilee, you have students here at the castle, who rely on you now." Spike pointed out. "And what about your family- Wigwam, Quackers, and Baby Cheerilee. Aren't they important?"

"Of course they are... but who knows how things might have turned out if I hadn't been sealed in that book?" The teacher asked, turning her head towards Sweet Apple Acres. "Who knows? Maybe... Big Mac and I might even have..."

"Living in the past can only bring you grief, Cheerilee." Applejack told her solemnly. "It's better to just remember the places and people you loved, rather than worry about the path not taken."

...

"This is it, guys!" The little filly whispered to her two cohorts. "This is our chance to make all of our dreams come true."

That evening, Cheerilee had gathered most of her class at the Ponyville gazebo, where Twilight Shine has set up the Starlight Lantern for the demonstration. As all of the other students in the class trotted up to where the unicorn stood, three troublemaking foals held back from the others, plotting how to take advantage of this situation.

"Okay, we all wanna see how this thing works, right?" Twirly Whirl, a pink Pegasus filly with a turquoise mane, asked them. "To see if this gizmo can help us get our cutie marks?"

"You got that right!" Clipper, the blue earth colt with a white mane, added. "It can't be as bad as when we got tangled up in Bow Tie's ribbons."

"Or getting breaking Medley's instruments." The blue unicorn filly named Ribbs, whispered. "I can't believe we got grounded for a week!"

"Well, maybe this time it'll work." Twirly reassured them, "Maybe we're meant to be wish ponies."

"Okay class, settle down now!" Cheerilee instructed them, as the students formed a semicircle around the table where the lantern rested. "Now I want you to pay close attention, as Baroness Twilight Shine demostrates to us how this object works."

"Thanks for agreeing to attend the lamplighting, Spike." Applejack told the small dragon. "I didn't wanna have ta help Twi and Cheerilee keep an eye on these little troublemakers alone."

"It's really no prob, AJ." Spike replied, waving a claw dismissively. "Besides, I'm kinda worried about Cheerilee, anyway. After what happened this morning, and all."

"Thank you, miss Cheerilee." The pink unicorn mare replied, lowering her horn to the Lantern. "Now children, this device is what allows me to projects all the happy dreams and wish fulfillment to every pony in the castle." Her horn began to glow, and images of butterflies, ponies playing sports, and all sorts of other dream-like images were projected out of the lantern. "I cannot actually see what ponies are experiencing in their dreams, but I can at least insure they are happy ones."

"Wow, this thing looks amazing!" Ribbs whispered, as the three snuck up behind the table on which the lantern rested. "I wonder what would happen if I just touched it."

"Be careful, Ribbs!" Twirly warned, trying to each for it herself. "You're gonna knock the whole table over!"

"Hey, you two!" clipper added, trying to push himself in. "I wanna see it, too!"

Hey, what are you three..." Twilight called out, noticing them pushing up against the back of the table. "No, don't!"

It all happened so fast... the table knocking over, the lantern shattering into a thousand pieces. All of the students went running in every direction, as a white light engulfed the entire replica of Ponyville. Finally, the brightness died down, and when the class looked back, there was no trace of Cheerilee, Twilight, Applejack, or Spike on the empty grass meadow surrounding them.

"Where'd Miss Cheerilee go?" Ribbs asked, confused.

"Where'd Ponyville go?" Twirily added, looking at the emptyness around them.

"Uh oh..." Clipper groaned. "I think we're in big trouble this time..."

…

_The golden rays of Celestia morning sun shone in on Ponyville, as a bright new day dawned._

_"Applejack, get up outta bed, and get yer flank down here!" A voice yelled up the stairs. "Yer vittles is getting cold!"_

_"Comin' Granny!" A blond earth filly yelled back, putting her cowpony hat on. "Ya'll don't have at worry, I'll eat it cold if I hafta!"_

_Elsewhere, a teacher at Ponyville elementary rang the bell, calling her students in for the day._

_"Good morning, class!" The cheerful teacher told her students. "I'm so happy to see your smiling faces again!"_

_And at the Ponyville library, a yawning dragon was awakened from his lazy slumber._

_"Spike! Could you come down here?" A voice called up the stairs to him. "I can't seem to find my book on Canterlot architecture!"_

_Huh? Oh, I'll help you find it!" The scaly little dragon climbed out of his small bed. "Be right down in a second, Twi!"_

_Yes, it was just another ordinary day in Ponyville..._


End file.
